


Endeavour: Paradise

by Parakeetist



Category: Endeavour (TV), Inspector Morse & Related Fandoms, Inspector Morse (TV)
Genre: Crimes & Criminals, Detective Noir, Detectives, England (Country), F/M, Gen, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Police Procedural, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-14 05:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16034009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parakeetist/pseuds/Parakeetist
Summary: Set in Oxford, in the summer of 1969. A hunter stalks the city, day by day carrying out his revenge. DCI Thursday makes his decision on work. Jim’s private life takes a turn. The American experiment in the space race is on the brink of success. Endeavour and Joan take another chance on a rehearsal. The Sixties are coming to an end.Please forgive my relatively simple knowledge of cricket.Featuring the standard main characters, and some new ones. I have invented some names and locations.Warning: contains some graphic descriptions of violence, foul language, and sexual situations.Also, story contains the death of a minor character.Any errors are mine.Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy the story.





	Endeavour: Paradise

Endeavour: Paradise

by Parakeetist

 

Cast of characters:

Endeavour Morse  
Fred Thursday  
Jim Strange  
Robert Lewis  
Valerie Lewis (engaged)  
Joan Thursday  
Supt. Reginald Bright  
Dr. Max DeBryn

 

New characters:

Albert Conley, cricket coach  
Dale Hellman, umpire  
Brett Thayer, bowler  
Peter Coleman, cricket fielder  
Leon Underwood, wicketkeeper  
John Trug, batsman  
Marcia Dempsey, librarian, Jim’s fiancee  
Walter Gales, mechanic  
Tony Spriggs, auto parts salesman  
Michelle Egan, customer at the auto parts store  
DI Ivan Stellitz  
Christopher South, landlord  
Philip Fried, Member of Parliament  
Rebecca Fried, his wife  
Nathan Wolf, clerk to MP Fried  
Jason Turrell, the MP’s previous assistant  
Dr. Peter Mable, the police department’s psychiatrist  
Bob Calloway, Joan’s neighbor  
WPC Barbara Hampton  
WPC Charlotte McGuire  
PC Gerald Florette  
Dr. Jack McCorrey  
Dr. Charles Epstein  
Audrey Fern, nurse  
Mike Borden, orderly at St. Daniel’s Hospital  
Louis Kline, orderly at St. Daniel’s Hospital  
Marius Ostrowitz, president of the Oxford Archery Society  
Lena Wheatman, church secretary  
Rev. Martin Bury, priest at St. Ninian’s  
Deacon Erwin Watts, deacon at St. Ninian’s  
Various police officers  
Nurses and other hospital workers  
Ambulance workers (known as EMTs)  
Joseph Matthew Morse, tiny baby  
News announcers  
Wait staff

 

________________  
Act One, Scene One

(Friday evening. At a cricket ground, in a public park. Players from a local club are taking practice. A small crowd watches from the stands.)

(The bowler runs up and throws. The batsman swings, but the ball drops and rolls on the ground.)

Crowd: “Ohhh!”

Albert: “Come on, come on!”

(The wicketkeeper flips the ball back to Thayer, who takes a deep breath, and throws again. This time, the batsman gets a good hit. The ball bounces once, and then past the boundary.) 

Dale: “Four!”

(The crowd applauds.)

(View switches to that of someone watching from a little stand of trees, nearby.)

(Then it’s back to the cricket match.)

(Thayer is running up, in order to throw, when the wicketkeeper screams in pain and keels backwards. A few seconds later, the batsman too crumples to the ground.)

Thayer: “What the hell?”

(People in the crowd yell in shock.)

(Thayer runs up and checks the bodies. There are long arrow shafts sticking out of each man’s chest.)

Thayer: “Someone call an ambulance! And the police!”

Dale: “Yeah!” (He runs to a phone booth off the field.)

Thayer: “Oh my God...”

(He reaches out and tugs the arrows, but another player comes up, and puts a hand on his shoulder.)

Coleman: “Hey, I don’t think you want to do that. Step back and let the ambulance get here.”

Thayer: “But-”

Coleman: “If you pulled out the arrows, the wounds might bleed even more. Let the professionals do it.”

Thayer: “If you insist.”

(They both take a few steps back. Thayer continues to stare in fear.)

 

Act One, Scene Two

(At a civic hall. Endeavour Morse is attending a meeting of the police officers’ union.)

(The speaker dismisses the crowd. Endeavour walks out, onto the pavement.)

(Joan Thursday comes up to him. She smiles.)

(She is now over six months pregnant. She is wearing a blue-gray maternity dress, flat-heeled shoes, and a light jacket.)

Joan: “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Hey!” (He kisses her.) “Did you take the bus? You just missed the show.”

Joan: “Yes. Am I in time for dinner?” 

Endeavour: “Yes, you are.”

Joan: “I’ve got an ad for this new place. It looks good.” 

(She hands him an advertisement for a new restaurant. It’s a German place. They serve dinner only.)

Endeavour: “Let’s go. We can take my car.”

(They walk to his car and get in. He starts the car.)

Endeavour: “What’s the address?”

Joan: “1224 Watt Street.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” 

(He slips into traffic.)

Endeavour: “How was work?”

Joan: “Hectic. All the students came in today. It’s the last day of the school week. There was one kid, a senior in high school, asked if I was married.”

Endeavour (raising an eyebrow): “Oh? What did you tell him?”

Joan: “I said, ‘Not yet,’ and I held up my hand. He mumbled something, and went away.”

Endeavour: “Good. I don’t want to have to be like Odysseus, and shoot all your suitors.”

(Joan smiles.)

(They reach the block with the restaurant, and park outside. They get out of the car and go in.)

(A waiter greets them by the podium.)

Waiter: “May I help you?”

Endeavour: “Yes, please, table for two.”

Waiter: “Right this way, please.”

(They walk with him and sit down. He hands them menus.)

Waiter: “What will the lady be drinking?”

Joan: “Club soda, please.”

Waiter: “We have mineral water. Will that be good?”

Joan: “Yes, and put a lemon, please.”

Waiter: “And the gentleman?”

Endeavour: “White wine, please.”

Waiter: “Very good. Right away.”

(He leaves to get the drinks.)

Endeavour: “So… six months?” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Yeah. We still haven’t thought of a name for a girl.”

Endeavour: “Elinor?”

Joan: “Hmm. Maybe.”

Endeavour: “Linda?”

Joan: “I don’t know. Did Lewis ever give you that name book?”

Endeavour: “Yes! I left it at home.”

Joan: “We’ll read it when we get back.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Joan: “So, how are things at the station?”

Endeavour: “DC Strange is still standing in for your father.”

Joan: “I hope Dad makes up his mind soon. He’s depressed enough. I can’t imagine him sitting around the house forever.”

Endeavour: “I asked him if he wanted to teach at the academy. He said he’d think about it, but I don’t guess he will.”

Joan: “He said he’d take two months’ leave after Mom passed. Now he’s been out for six. I’m worried.”

Endeavour: “Relax. For tonight.”

(The waiter brings their drinks.)

Waiter: “Have we decided?”

Endeavour: “I’ll have the sauerbraten.”

Joan: “I’ll have the chicken schnitzel, please.”

Waiter: “Thank you.” (He takes the menus and walks away.)

Joan: “So, is the baby going to have any aunts or uncles on your side?”

Endeavour: “Well, there’s my sister, Joyce. I haven’t seen her in years.”

Joan: “Oh, did you… Have a falling out?”

Endeavour: “No, it’s just that time gets away from us.”

Joan: “Do you ever write to her?”

Endeavour: “Sometimes.”

Joan: “That’s good.” (She sips her water.) “On my side of the family, there’s Sam. I told him about the baby, and he was giddy with glee.”

Endeavour: “That’s good. What’s he doing now?”

Joan: “Rocket school.”

Endeavour: “Really?”

Joan: “Yes. He says he’s testing all sorts of weapons systems. He can’t tell me about all of it.”

Endeavour: “Ah. Secret spy things?” 

(Joan laughs.)

(Endeavour sips his wine.) 

Endeavour: “I wonder what it’ll be like, being a Dad. Most weeks, I work the same hours, but you never know.”

Joan: “I’m sure you’ll be fine. I can hire someone to help us, sometimes.”

Endeavour: “Can you take any time off work?”

Joan: “Yes, they said they’d let me have two months after the birth.”

Endeavour: “Good. Maybe you could even, ah-” (He swirls his glass around, and tries to think of how to say what comes next.)

Joan: “What?”

Endeavour: “Well, quit for a while.”

Joan: “How long? Six months, a year, two? I don’t think they’d hold my job open, even though Marcia and the chief librarian really like me.”

Endeavour: “Well, you could always go back.”

Joan: “I’ll think about it.”

(Endeavour suddenly feels sluggish, and pinches the bridge of his nose.)

Endeavour: “I can barely hold my head up.” 

Joan: “Do you need us to leave?”

Endeavour: “No, I can eat. I just feel sleepy.”

Joan: “I’m sure it’s stress.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. I’ve got to take some time off. We could go up to Manchester or Leeds or something.”

Joan: “That sounds good. You haven’t taken a holiday in – well, ever, right?”

Endeavour: “Not since last year.”

Joan: “That one day.” (She smiles.)

Endeavour: “A pretty good day, as I remember.”

Joan: “Me too.” (She blushes and looks down.)

Endeavour: “So...” (He trails off, and listens to the music playing softly over the sound system.) “This is – I know I can name it-”

Joan: “You’d be good on one of those trivia shows.”

Endeavour: “Could win us some money.” (He tilts his head. Then he snaps his fingers, having arrived at the answer.) “Hildegard of Bingen.”

Joan: “Very good. I like it.”

(The food arrives.)

Waiter: “Let me know if you need anything else.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(The waiter nods and walks away.)

(They start to eat.)

Joan: “This is good.”

Endeavour: “Yeah. Mine is a little-” 

(He leans forward. His eyes close.)

Joan: “Are you all right?”

(Endeavour’s head tilts back again. He snaps his eyes open.)

Endeavour: “What?” (He shakes his head.)

Joan: “You need to get home. I can get cartons for us.”

Endeavour: “No, no. Maybe I need to ask for some coffee.”

(He flags down the waiter.)

Endeavour: “Could you please bring me a coffee?”

Waiter: “You did not like the wine?”

Endeavour: “No, it was good. I just need to wake up.”

Waiter: “Very well, sir. How do you like yours?”

Endeavour: “Black, please.”

(The waiter walks away.)

Joan: “That’s a little unusual.”

Endeavour: “I could use a shower.”

Joan: “I’m sure you’ll take one tonight.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(He leans his head on one hand.)

(Joan puts a hand on her belly.)

Joan: “That’s a kick.”

Endeavour (smiles): “You sure?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”

Joan: “Well, Mom always told me, boys carry more in the front.”

Endeavour: “Where do girls carry, in the back?”

(Joan laughs.)

Joan: “No, maybe a little more upwards.”

Endeavour: “Ah.”

(They eat and drink, until they are finished.)

Endeavour: “Check, please.”

(The waiter brings him the bill. He pays and leaves a tip.)

(They get up and walk outside.)

Joan (looking up): “Is that Jupiter?”

Endeavour: “No, Mars.”

Joan: “I used to read comics about how they’re all coming to get us.”

Endeavour: “You sound just like your father.”

(They get in the car. Morse drives home.)

(They pull up to the house. Joan opens the front door.)

(Endeavour puts away his jacket, and Joan hangs up hers as well.)

(She makes as if to walk into the room, but Endeavour grabs her around the waist.)

Endeavour: “Stay.”

(He smiles, and kisses her. The kiss goes on for some seconds.)

(Thursday walks down from upstairs. He clears his throat.)

Thursday: “Ahem.”

(Endeavour pulls away.)

Endeavour: “Ah, sir-”

Thursday: “Never mind, boy. You have to go to the station. There were a couple of murders while you were out.”

Endeavour: “But it’s Friday. The start of the weekend.”

Thursday: “I don’t care what plans you had. We got a call about it.”

Endeavour: “Really?” (He turns to face Joan.) “I’ve got to go.”

Joan: “Break a leg.” (She kisses him, and walks upstairs.)

(Endeavour picks up his coat and puts it on again.)

Endeavour: “Did they say what the murders were like?”

Thursday: “Someone with a bow and arrow shot two people at a cricket match.”

Endeavour: “Did anyone see what the shooter looked like?”

Thursday: “I don’t have any idea.”

Endeavour: “All right. I’m off.” (He opens the door and goes to his car.)

 

Act One, Scene Three

(Endeavour pulls up at the police station. Lewis meets him in the hallway.)

Lewis: “Hi.”

Endeavour: “Did you hear from Superintendent Bright?”

Lewis: “He’s in his office. He’s coming back in a minute.”

Endeavour (sighs): “What a night.”

Lewis: “Yes.” (He puts a hand on his ribcage.) “Still get twinges from time to time.”

Endeavour: “You tell me if you need to go to the hospital, all right?”

Lewis: “Yeah.”

Endeavour: “How’s Valerie?”

Lewis: “She’s good.”

Endeavour: “Did she see your awful flat yet?” (He smiles.)

Lewis: “I’ll tell you when it happens.”

Endeavour: “You mean, you two didn’t-” (He raises an eyebrow.)

Lewis: “Hey.” (He scratches the back of his neck.)

(They are both silent, until Supt. Bright walks up.)

Bright: “You two. You are assigned to the cricket murder case. Please go and see Dr. DeBryn, post haste. Witness the autopsy and take his report.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir.”

Endeavour: “Sir, couldn’t you have just called my house and asked me to head to the morgue?”

Bright: “You live at DCI Thursday’s house. Coming here first makes you more organized. Now, make it snappy.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir.”

(They walk out to the parking lot and get in the car. Endeavour is grumbling.)

Lewis: “What’s gotten into you?”

Endeavour: “We could have saved ten minutes.”

Lewis: “The victims are dead. They’re not going to mind.”

(Endeavour growls again, and moves the car onto the road.)

(Cut to: They arrive at the morgue and walk in.)

Lewis: “The house of the dead.”

Endeavour: “You’ve already been to, what, ten of these things?”

Lewis: “Several.”

Endeavour: “So you should be ready.”

Lewis: “I’ll never be.” (He takes out a plastic clip and puts it on his nose.)

(Endeavour shrugs, and they walk down to Dr. DeBryn’s room. It is a standard working area, with the bodies on tables, and equipment on trays.)

Max: “Good evening, gentlemen.”

Lewis: “Yes.”

Max: “If you have to throw up, there’s a big garbage pail in the hall.”

(Lewis nods.)

Endeavour: “Let’s see them.”

(Max walks them to the tables. He points to each body in turn.)

Max: “These are Leon Underwood and John Trug.” (Underwood is the stockier of the two, and has a beard. Trug is a bit tall, and clean-shaven. Both are white men in their late thirties.) 

Endeavour: “Where are the injuries?”

(The doctor moves down the covers, so the detectives can see the arrow wounds.)

Max: “Copies of my report, and photos of the deceased, are on the table over there. You can get them on your way out.”

(Lewis nods.)

Endeavour: “Did the shots come from a bow or a crossbow?”

Max: “A bow, like Robin Hood would have used. Crossbow bolts are smaller.”

Lewis: “Ah.” (He takes a deep breath.)

Max: “Cause of death, as it is so often, bleeding to death from the wounds.”

Endeavour: “Did you save the arrows?”

Max: “Yes, the remains are in evidence bags. Already sent them to your department, I believe.”

Endeavour: “Aha.”

Max: “He shot them both from behind.”

Lewis: “Coward.”

Max: “Yes. They bled to death before the ambulance could reach them.”

(Lewis breathes in sharply.)

Endeavour: “Did these people have anything in common, other than they were friends from the same team?”

Max: “Don’t know. That’s for you boys to figure out.” (He moves the covers back up on the bodies.) “We’ve placed calls to their families.”

Endeavour: “Good.”

Lewis: “What time did they die?”

Max: “About half past five.”

Lewis: “I see. Do you need us for anything else?”

Max: “Ah, no. Do take the report and the copies of the photos.”

Lewis: “Thank you.” (He steps to the table in the back of the room and takes the items.)

Endeavour: “We’ll let you go, Doctor.”

Max: “Thank you, Detectives.”

(The policemen walk out.) 

(In the hallway, Lewis stops and leans over the garbage pail. He is sick for a couple of minutes.)

Endeavour: “Oh, you really meant that.”

(Lewis straightens up. He walks into the men’s room.)

(Moments later, he comes out. He is pale.)

Lewis: “Let’s go back.”

Endeavour: “Yeah, we’ll write our reports, and go home.”

Lewis: “Okay.”

(They drive back to the station. At their desks, they begin to type the reports.)

(Cut to: Both men have finished the work.)

(Lewis stamps the papers on the desk, to help them line up correctly. He puts the report in an envelope.)

(Endeavour hands him his envelope, and Lewis puts both in the “In” basket on DC Jim Strange’s desk.)

Endeavour: “He’ll report back to Supt. Bright. No reason to make two copies.”

Lewis: “Right. Do we have to come in tomorrow?”

Endeavour: “Let’s see.” (He looks at the calendar on Strange’s wall.) “No, looks like we’re not due back until Monday.”

Lewis: “Enjoy yourself.”

Endeavour: “You too. Say, how are you getting home?”

Lewis: “The bus.”

Endeavour: “I’ll drop you.”

Lewis: “Okay.”

(They walk to the parking lot and get back in Endeavour’s car.)

Endeavour: “You’re really sick. Make sure you drink plenty of water, and get lots of rest.”

Lewis: “The water will make me get up during the night.”

Endeavour: “You’re a big fella, you can handle that now.” (He smiles.)

Lewis: “Mom said no.”

(Endeavour snorts.)

(He drives to Lewis’ flat. They park.)

Endeavour: “Sure you can get in on your own?”

Lewis: “I’ll be fine.”

(He staggers toward the door. Endeavour catches up.)

Endeavour: “Hey, now. You need help.”

Lewis: “Ahh-”

(Endeavour puts an arm under Lewis’ shoulder. They walk to the door. Endeavour takes Lewis’ keys from his pocket.)

Endeavour: “Now, here we go.” (He opens the door. They walk in.)

(He flips on the front room lights. Lewis walks slowly to his room.)

Lewis: “Thanks for your help.”

Endeavour: “No problem.”

(He thinks of something and walks into the kitchen. He looks in the cabinet and picks out a glass. Then he fills it with water, and goes back to the bedroom.)

Endeavour: “Here.” (He hands Lewis the glass.)

Lewis: “Thanks.” (He takes a long pull.) “Ah. I hope this wears off. I would hate to have this follow me around the rest of my career.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.” (Pause) “So, when’s your wedding?” 

Lewis: “When’s yours? You’re dragging that poor girl from here to sunset, aren’t you?”

Endeavour: “I asked you first.”

Lewis: “We’ve got the church reserved for…” (He counts on his fingers.) “November.”

Endeavour: “Congratulations. Is she…?” (He trails off, with a smile on his face.)

Lewis: “No.”

Endeavour: “You’ll tell me when it happens?” (He smirks again.)

(Lewis glares.)

Endeavour: “I mean, do you wear-”

(Lewis gets up from the bed.)

Lewis: “Your girl’s in trouble already, isn’t she? Poor thing. How long you gonna wait? I didn’t get an invitation.”

Endeavour: “Take it easy, I was just kidding.”

Lewis: “Remember, that time, you hit me first.”

(Endeavour is at a loss.)

Endeavour (pause): “Yeah, well, I need to get going.”

Lewis: “Bye.”

(Endeavour walks out to his car. He cranks the engine and puts on the radio.)

(The music calms him down. On his way home, he stops at a food shop, just before it is about to close, and gets a sandwich and a soda pop.)

(He pulls up at the house. He parks and goes in.)

(By now, it is very late. The lights are all off. He puts away his jacket and flips on one lamp. He sits down at a small table, and eats his dinner.)

(He hears noise upstairs. Joan has gone from her room to the washroom. He throws away his garbage and shuts off the light. He walks upstairs.)

(Joan walks down the hall. She is wearing a nightgown and slippers. He is standing in the doorway. He smiles.)

Joan: “Didn’t expect to see you there.”

Endeavour: “I’m home.”

Joan: “I can see.”

(He takes her elbow and walks into the room. He closes the door behind them.)

(She sits on the edge of the bed, and looks down. He takes off his pants and shirt and folds them. Then he crosses to sit next to her.)

Endeavour (smirking): “You didn’t want to… watch?”

Joan (sighs): “We don’t have a flat.”

Endeavour: “We can get one.”

Joan: “We didn’t buy anything for the baby yet.”

Endeavour: “Your father can help us, some weekend.”

Joan: “And we never seem to...” (She trails off.)

Endeavour: “What are you worried about?” (He grabs her fingers.)

Joan: “We never get to the church. It’s been six months. How long are we going to wait?”

Endeavour: “I’m always getting sidetracked by a case.”

Joan: “As long as you’re a detective, there’s going to be another case. When you make DI, and then DCI… I don’t know how many years that’s going to be...”

Endeavour: “Shh.” (He gives her a soft kiss.) “We’ll make it work.”

Joan: “You didn’t have time to shave today.” (She runs a hand over his cheek.) 

Endeavour: “It’s an experiment.”

Joan: “Oh?”

Endeavour: “You don’t like it?”

Joan: “Ray had a mustache.”

Endeavour (nervously): “Don’t speak about him! I’m not him.”

Joan: “Yeah...”

(He leans in for another kiss.)

Joan: “It’s Saturday now.”

Endeavour: “We’ve got the rest of the weekend off.”

Joan: “Yeah...” 

(They kiss again. She gently puts a hand on his chest. He leans over a little. She rubs his chest back and forth.)

(He reaches under her gown to tug on the band of her underclothes. She leans back. He moves his boxers out of the way, and props himself up on his arms.)

(He positions himself between her knees, and begins to move.)

(...And is finished almost immediately.)

(He quickly turns away and tugs up his underclothes. He is blushing furiously.)

Endeavour: “I’m sorry...” 

Joan (very quietly): “That’s all right.” (She wiggles a little closer to the wall, and puts a hand on the space next to her. He lies down.)

(He puts his arms above his head.)

Joan: “It must be stress. You’ve had a lot to worry about.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.” 

(She strokes his cheek.)

Joan: “When we get a flat, we can get a bigger bed.”

Endeavour: “We’ll need one.” (He smiles slightly.)

Joan: “Sleep, huh.” (She closes her eyes and burrows more deeply into the sheets.)

Endeavour: “Mm-hmm.” (He closes his eyes, and turns toward her.)

(Soon, they are both asleep.)

 

Act One, Scene Four

(In the small hours of the morning. Endeavour turns over in his sleep. He mutters incomprehensibly.)

(Joan hears him and sits up on her elbows.)

Endeavour: “It must be… really don’t have…” (He makes a noise, as if in pain.)

(She reaches out and shakes his arm.)

Joan: “Come on. Wake up now.”

(He jolts upright, and blinks his eyes.)

Endeavour: “What happened?”

Joan: “You were talking in your sleep.”

Endeavour: “Oh.” (He sits back again.) “What did I say?”

Joan: “That you ‘really don’t have’ something. Then you made a whining sound.”

Endeavour: “Oh. I’m going back to sleep.”

Joan: “Sun’s not up yet. You are welcome to.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” (He closes his eyes and sinks back into the pillow.) 

(She leans over and kisses him, and strokes his hair. Without opening his eyes, he smiles.)

(Cut to: a couple hours later. Endeavour starts to roll over again. He changes sides several times. He shouts:)

Endeavour: “There’s a bomb. A bomb!”

(He screams. Joan sits up.)

Joan: “Wake up!” (She shakes his arm again.)

(Endeavour breathes heavily, and looks around.)

Endeavour: “Where am I, what am I doing?”

Joan: “It’s all right. You’re at my house. Shh.” (She strokes his arm.) “Were you having a nightmare about the bank?”

Endeavour: “No.” (He breathes heavily for some seconds.) “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Joan: “Okay. Do you want me to make you an appointment to go to the doctor?”

Endeavour: “No. I know where he is, I’ll go see him.”

Joan: “You do that.” (She hugs him loosely, from the side.)

(Endeavour grumbles again, and lies down.)

Joan: “Do you want me to wake you up?”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “All right.”

(She gingerly gets out of bed, and walks to the dresser. She selects her clothing for the day, and goes to take a shower.)

(Cut to: A couple of hours later, she and her father eat breakfast at the table. Endeavour, now fully dressed, comes downstairs.)

Endeavour: “Is there anything left to eat?”

Thursday: “Yes, there’s waffles.”

Joan: “I’ll make some.” (She gets up and goes into the kitchen.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He ruffles his hair.) “I had the strangest dream.”

Thursday: “Well, it’s over, so sit tight.”

Endeavour: “I usually don’t have nightmares. I don’t even remember my dreams.”

Joan: “They say everybody has them.”

Thursday: “What did you dream about?”

Endeavour: “Some kind of bomb. I don’t remember where I was, or what I did, but there was something about an explosive.”

Thursday: “Good thing you don’t have to work on the bomb squad.”

Endeavour: “Yeah, I hear the one in London gets called all the time.”

Thursday: “That’s London.”

Joan: “Oh, Dad.”

Thursday: “Crime’s going up. You don’t know anything.”

Endeavour: “Now, Mr. Thursday.”

(Joan brings him a plate with the waffles. She puts down a case of butter and a bottle of syrup.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(Joan sits, and sips a little glass of lemonade.)

Joan: “So, what did you used to do on the weekends… before you met me?”

(Endeavour smiles.)

Endeavour: “Well, let’s see… I used to go to the museums sometimes… I’d ride my bike...”

Joan: “Go to the lake?”

Endeavour: “Yeah.”

Joan: “You know, maybe we can get you into the choir again. If, that is, you don’t mind going to church.”

(Endeavour eats some of his food.)

Endeavour: “Well… I’ll think about it.”

(Joan nods.)

(The phone rings.)

Thursday: “I’ll get it.”

(He goes to the phone.)

Thursday: “Hello?” (Pause) “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding.” (Pause) “All right, I’ll tell him. All right.” (He holds out the phone to Endeavour.) “They want to talk to you. It’s the station.”

Endeavour (blinking): “All right.”

(He picks up the phone.)

Endeavour: “Yes?” (Pause) “Well, no, I’m at home. Couldn’t you – all right, I’ll come in. Thank you.” (He hangs up the phone.) “They’ve just found two more bodies. I have to go back to work.”

Joan (quietly): “Dreadful...”

Thursday (to Joan): “Now, you respect a man, and you respect his work!”

Joan: “I wasn’t-”

Thursday: “I heard you very clearly! Let the man go out and do his job.”

Joan: “All right.”

Endeavour: “Now, Mr. Thursday-”

Thursday: “Just put on your jacket and run. I don’t want you listening to her anymore.”

Joan: “But Dad-”

Endeavour: “Chief Inspector-”

Thursday (shouting at Joan): “Shut up!”

(Joan stares at him, in silence.)

(Endeavour grabs his jacket and is quickly out the door.)

(Thursday turns around, and is still yelling.)

Thursday: “Now, I want you-”

(But his daughter is nowhere to be seen.)

 

Act One, Scene Five

(Endeavour drives to the station and goes in.)

(Lewis stands in front of his desk.)

Lewis: “This should be interesting.”

Endeavour: “Where’s DC Strange?”

Lewis: “At the water fountain. Oh, here he comes.”

(Strange walks down the hall.)

Jim: “Gentlemen. Glad you came here.”

Endeavour: “Yes. I hear there are two bodies.”

Jim: “Yes, a Tony Spriggs and a Michelle Egan. Tony was the salesman at an auto parts shop. Michelle was buying from him.”

Endeavour: “Shot with arrows?”

Jim: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “So, same killer.”

Jim: “Probably. But don’t assume.”

Lewis: “That means he’s getting more reckless. If he shot them right in the store, that means someone could have seen him. Also, he’s continuing to use arrows. As if they’re the only way to put things right.”

Jim: “Go to the scene. Crime scene detail should be there already. 301 Brubaker Avenue.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

(Jim hands Endeavour a map.)

Jim: “You can never be too careful. Go, kids.” (He taps Endeavour on the chest and walks back to his office.)

(Cut to: The detectives get in the car and drive to the scene. They park and get out.)

(The coroner’s van is on the other side of the street. Various policemen have also parked up and down the block.)

Lewis: “Let’s see!”

(He looks in the front of the auto parts store. Two bodies lie on the floor. Tony was running the cash register. He is slumped behind the counter. Michelle was buying a couple of spark plugs from him. She is in front of the counter. Both bodies have arrows in their chests. There is considerable blood on the floor.)

Lewis: “Yee-iiish.” 

(Endeavour steps over the bodies and begins to look around the back of the shop.)

(Lewis takes gloves out of his coat pocket and puts them on. He steps behind Egan’s body and points to the countertop.)

Lewis: “Let’s see if we can’t get some fingerprints here.” 

PC: “Yes, sir.” (He takes out an evidence collection kit.)

Lewis: “Did you speak to the coroner?”

PC: “Briefly, sir. I think he’ll talk to you later.”

Lewis: “Very good.” (He smiles.)

PC: “Yes, sir.” (He opens up the collection kit.)

(Cut to: Hours later, the collection wraps up. The detectives stand on the sidewalk outside the auto parts store.)

Endeavour: “Let’s go back to the station and write our reports.”

Lewis: “Yeah.”

Endeavour: “There was nothing taken from the cash register. This was not a robbery.”

Lewis: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Also, he keeps killing people in broad daylight. Does he want to be found?”

Lewis: “Maybe.”

Endeavour: “When Dr. DeBryn gives us his report, we can set up a display, with all the photos.”

Lewis: “That’ll help.”

Endeavour (pause): “Are you being sarcastic?”

Lewis: “No. I mean it.”

Endeavour (shrugs): “Okay. We need to think about what the victims had in common.”

Lewis: “True. They needed to get their cars fixed?”

Endeavour: “But what about the victims from the cricket club?”

Lewis: “I don’t know. We’ll have to do this later.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” (He looks at Lewis.) “You’re not sick this time.”

Lewis: “Eh.” (He tosses his head back and forth.) “Never say never.”

Endeavour: “I see. I won’t provoke you.”

(Lewis, thinking of the fight they had in the restroom, smiles.)

Lewis: “Will they let us go home?”

Endeavour: “Let’s ask the officer in charge.”

Lewis: “Wouldn’t that be you?”

Endeavour: “No. I think it’s Stellitz.” 

(They walk up to DI Ivan Stellitz, who is standing in front of a patrol car.)

Endeavour: “Sir, may we be dismissed now?”

Stellitz: “I need you to sign this list. Then you can leave.”

(He holds out a record book. They each sign their names.)

Stellitz: “Okay, gentlemen.”

Lewis: “Can we still have tomorrow off?”

Stellitz: “There are no days off, when you’re a policeman.”

Endeavour: “That’s what they say, sir-”

Stellitz: “Then that’s what they mean.”

Endeavour: “Are we going to get a call to come in tomorrow?”

Stellitz: “You might. Stay alert for it.”

Endeavour: “Some of us have families, sir.”

Stellitz: “You don’t.”

Endeavour (pause, looking shocked): “I will, soon.”

Lewis: “Do we get to claim this as overtime?”

Stellitz: “Yes, but your bodies, your very lives, are owned by the people and the Crown. You come to work when they say you do.”

(Endeavour just stares.)

Stellitz: “You can stay home, but be ready, any day. You are on call unless we say you’re not. Dismissed.”

(The detectives turn and walk to Endeavour’s car.)

Lewis: “Son of a...” (He kicks the ground.)

Endeavour: “I know. I know.”

(They get in the car. Endeavour drives them to a little food place, and picks up burgers and soda pops.)

(Getting back in the car, he says):

Endeavour: “I asked for just ketchup on it.”

Lewis: “You’ve got something against lettuce and mayonnaise?”

Endeavour: “No more than a normal person.”

(They both eat for a couple minutes. Lewis covers a belch.)

Lewis: “Sorry.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(He sips his drink again, then):

Endeavour: “Ah, am I still invited to your wedding?”

Lewis: “Still?”

Endeavour: “Ah, you didn’t mail me a card...”

Lewis: “You live at Thursday’s, right?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Lewis: “I’ll check with Valerie’s mother. She’ll know.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(They finish eating. Endeavour pulls the car back into traffic.)

(After some minutes, they arrive at Lewis’ flat.)

Endeavour: “Bye, now.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(He walks slowly to the door and opens it. Then he grabs his ribs.)

Lewis: “Ow...”

Endeavour: “Do you need help?”

Lewis: “No, I think I’ll be okay.”

(He staggers into the room. Endeavour hurries to follow.)

Endeavour: “You all right?”

Lewis: “Yeah, I’ll be good. Trust me.” (He winces.) “Please shut the door behind you.”

Endeavour: “All right. Goodnight, then.”

(He turns and walks out. He shuts the door.)

(Cut to: Endeavour drives up to Thursday’s home. He parks and goes up to the door.)

(He notices no one is downstairs. There is one light on, for his convenience. He uses the downstairs washroom, then shuts off the light. He goes upstairs.)

(Joan is in a nightgown, in bed, under the covers. In her sleep, she turns toward the wall.)

(Endeavour gets down to his underclothes and gets into bed. Joan stirs.)

Joan (softly): “Hmm, what?”

Endeavour: “It’s me.”

(He puts an arm around her midsection, and kisses her ear.)

Endeavour: “I’m sorry I was such bad company last night.”

Joan: “It’s all right, really.”

Endeavour: “Get some rest.”

Joan: “Okay.”

(Soon, they are both asleep.)

 

Act Two, Scene One

(The next Monday. Endeavour arrives at work.)

(Time passes. Endeavour types at his desk.)

(Suddenly, Thursday walks into the center of the room.)

Endeavour (startled): “I didn’t expect you here, sir. Did you leave the house after I did?”

Thursday: “Some time later.”

Endeavour: “Well, good to see you again.”

Thursday: “In my office, please.”

(Endeavour walks with him. He shuts the door behind them. Endeavour can see that Jim’s property has been switched out for Thursday’s old materials.)

Thursday: “DC Strange should be back with the general department.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Thursday: “He did well, but I’m back as a second-in-command to the Superintendent.”

Endeavour: “I’m sure we’re all happy to have you back.”

Thursday: “I can think of one person who isn’t.”

(Endeavour says nothing.)

Thursday: “Any major changes, since I was here last?”

Endeavour: “Well, nothing.”

(Thursday puts his hands on the back of his chair.) 

Thursday: “I’ll tell you something.”

Endeavour: “Yes?”

Thursday: “I’ve asked my daughter to leave the house.”

(Endeavour pauses and blinks.)

Endeavour: “What? Why?”

Thursday: “I don’t think it’s right, what she is doing. She’s not married.”

Endeavour: “But there’s me, sir.”

Thursday: “I am aware of that.”

Endeavour: “If you insist, sir, she and I could just take a day off, and go down to the courthouse.”

Thursday: “The church was good enough for her mother and I.”

Endeavour: “Well, we could go there, too.”

Thursday: “But you keep calling, to change the date. You set it, and then you reset three times.”

Endeavour: “How did you know that, sir?”

Thursday: “I have my ways.”

Endeavour: “Do you know if she made it to work?”

Thursday: “Yes, she did. I just called.”

Endeavour (raising his voice a little): “Well, she must have left home in a state. You’ve made her homeless now, sir. Is that what you want?”

Thursday: “Her home is where I say it is.”

Endeavour: “With all respect, sir, I think you made a mistake. She is an adult, competent to make her own decisions.”

Thursday: “I figured you would say that.” (He pushes the chair in toward the desk.) “I forbid you to leave the station until the close of shift, unless there is an emergency.”

Endeavour: “You’re worried I might help her?”

(Thursday shakes his head.)

Endeavour (very frustrated): “Well.” (Pause) “She’s your daughter, sir. One of only two children that you’re ever going to have. Why are you doing this?”

Thursday (sighs): “I don’t want her giving birth to an illegitimate child while she’s under my roof.”

Endeavour: “I told you I was part of that, sir. Are you asking me to leave, as well?”

Thursday: “You can stay.”

Endeavour: “You are wrong, sir. Deeply wrong.”

Thursday: “I work with you, I know you’re all right.”

Endeavour: “I – I-” (Pause) “I may report you to the conduct committee.”

Thursday: “They don’t take sides in personal issues.”

Endeavour: “Your daughter is almost seven months gone. You don’t care that you may have endangered her safety?”

(Thursday only stares. He does not reply.)

Endeavour: “I’ll assume you have chosen to do this because of your grief over the passing of your wife. You – you test my ability to forgive.”

(He turns and walks out.)

(Cut to: Near the end of shift. An exasperated Morse finishes typing a progress report about the case. He puts the report in an envelope and hands it to Lewis.)

Endeavour: “Please take this to DCI Thursday’s office.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir.”

(He walks down to the office. Minutes later, he comes back.)

Lewis: “You don’t have to drop me off tonight. I’ll take the bus.”

Endeavour: “Come on.” (He puts on his jacket, and walks toward the parking lot. Lewis hesitates for a second, then follows.)

(As soon as Lewis gets in the car, and Endeavour starts the engine, Lewis falls asleep.)

(He remains asleep until they get to the flat.)

Endeavour: “Come on, lazy bones. We’re here.” (He smiles.)

(Lewis wakes up.)

Lewis: “Thanks.” (He hands Endeavour two pound notes.)

Endeavour: “You don’t have to-”

Lewis: “Yes, I do. For the petrol.” 

Endeavour: “All right, now.”

Lewis: “See you.”

Endeavour: “Goodbye.”

(Endeavour watches the other man walk in the flat, then drives away.)

(He goes to pick up Joan at the library.)

(Cut to: He parks in front of the building, and walks in.)

(Marcia is at the front desk.)

Endeavour: “Hello, is Ms. Thursday available?” (He smiles.)

Marcia: “She’s getting ready to leave. We’re just about to close for the day.”

Endeavour: “I’ll wait.”

(Moments later, Joan comes out of the back office. Endeavour stands up. Joan just nods.)

Marcia: “Have a good night.”

Joan: “You too.”

(Joan and Endeavour walk out of the library. They stand on the sidewalk.)

(Joan breathes out heavily.)

Endeavour: “I spoke to your father. I know what’s happened.” (He takes a deep breath.) “I’m sorry.”

(Joan nods.)

Joan: “Thank you.”

(She takes a piece of paper out of her purse.)

Joan: “He got me a place down in Abingdon. Only minutes away by bus.”

Endeavour: “He got you a place? What, did he call the landlord or something?”

(She nods.)

Joan: “We had the fight this morning. He looked in the paper, and then he called the landlord. He wired the money.”

Endeavour: “Did you have to quit your job? It’s only Monday.”

Joan: “Well, I’ve taken a few days off, to get everything settled. My boss knows. I’ll be back at work next week.” (She looks away, and watches the traffic go by.) “I guess I’ll have to stop in a charity shop, to replace my clothes. And a chemist’s, to get a toothbrush and things. I don’t know when he’ll let me back in, to get the rest of my things.”

Endeavour: “I’ll drive you.”

Joan: “I’ve got a bus pass.”

Endeavour: “Don’t be silly, young lady.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Well, let’s go, then.”

(They get in his car. He heads into traffic.)

Endeavour: “Where’s the address of the flat?”

Joan: “74 Keller Street.”

Endeavour: “I think I know where that is.”

(He drives a few more minutes. Then):

Endeavour: “Ah, there’s a charity shop, if you want.”

(They both get out of the car, and walk into the store. An assistant comes out from behind the front desk. She is a woman in her late twenties.)

Assistant: “May I help you?”

Joan: “I need a few dresses, to replace some that I – lost.”

Assistant: “Oh, the machine overheated at the laundromat? I hate when that happens. Let me see.”

(The two women walk up and down the aisles, selecting clothes. Endeavour twirls a finger in the hair next to his ear, and waits close to the door.)

(In a short time, Joan has picked out five dresses.)

Joan: “I figure, one for every day of the work week.”

Assistant: “Right. Let me ring you up.”

(This takes a couple minutes.)

Assistant: “Enjoy your purchases. Have a good day.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(Endeavour walks out with her. She puts the dresses in his car.)

Endeavour: “Now we have to get you a toothbrush.”

Joan: “Yeah.”

(He looks up and down the block.)

Endeavour: “Ah – that ought to have one.” (He points out a store.)

(They walk in.)

(It’s a variety shop, with candy, magazines, and sundries. Joan walks up and down the aisles.)

(Minutes later, she has selected a toothbrush, mouthwash, bar of soap, and a towel. She puts them on the counter.)

Joan: “Hello.”

Clerk: “Hello.” (He is a man in his mid-fifties. He has little charisma to speak of. He rings up her purchases very slowly, and puts them in a little bag.)

(Endeavour goes next. He has chosen some candy, a fizzy drink, and a couple of magazines. One is ‘Politics,’ the other is ‘Telescope.’ The clerk gives him a glare, then rings him up as well.)

(They walk outside.)

Joan: “Strange day.”

Endeavour: “I’ll say.”

Joan: “You can drop me off at the place.”

Endeavour: “How are you getting any dinner?”

Joan: “Dad gave me a few pounds. I’ll find something.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “No?” (She smiles faintly.)

Endeavour: “Get in the car.”

Joan: “Okay.”

(They drive on. Soon, Endeavour passes a quick-serve place, and pulls up at the drive-through.)

Endeavour: “What do you want?”

Joan: “Chicken, I guess.”

Endeavour (into the speaker): “Hi, we’ll take-”

Worker: “Ah-” (There is a burst of white noise out of the speaker.)

Endeavour: “Hey-”

Worker: “Hey-” (There is the noise again.)

(Endeavour sighs and mutters to himself.)

Endeavour: “What is the hold-up?”

Worker: “Please come to the front.”

Endeavour (muttering again): “All right...” (He pulls up to the front window.)

(Moments later, the worker leans out the window.)

Worker: “What did you have?”

Endeavour: “Two chicken sandwiches and two sodas, please.”

Worker: “Okay.” (He disappears back into the building. Minutes later, he hands Endeavour the food and drinks. Endeavour pays and drives away.)

(Joan takes the bag and the drinks. She puts the sodas in the cup holders and puts the bag at her feet.)

(They drive for some minutes. Endeavour turns down a side street, then another. He pulls up and parks.)

Endeavour: “I think that’s it.” (He points to a building.)

Joan: “Yes. Thank you for the drive, and the food.”

Endeavour: “No problem.” (He picks up the food.) “You take the dresses.”

Joan: “Okay.” 

(They walk up to the door.)

Joan: “Gee, how are we going to do this? I don’t know where to get the keys.”

(She looks around, and sees a note taped to the mailbox. It says: “Key.” She removes it, and tries the door. It opens.)

Joan: “Well, we’re in.”

(The room is simply furnished. She turns on a lamp, and puts the dresses on a chair.)

(She goes to check the other rooms. Endeavour walks along with her.)

(She sees that there is a pack of sheets placed on the bed.)

Joan: “Did my father have these sent, or…?” (She trails off.) “Maybe it’s a gift from the landlord. Oh, well.” (She looks up for a minute.) “This is bigger than what I have at home.”

Endeavour: “Good.” (He smiles.)

(She takes the sheets out of the pack and puts them on. Then she fluffs the pillows.) 

Joan: “Okay, that’s done. I want to see if the telly works. And the fridge.”

(She walks out and checks on the TV set. It turns on, and gets a fairly good reception.)

(Then she shuts that off and walks into the kitchen.)

Joan: “We won’t be cooking today, so...” (She checks the fridge. There is cold air coming out of it.) “Thank goodness.” (She shuts the fridge door.) “Come, sit down.”

(Endeavour puts the food and drinks on the table.)

Endeavour: “Do you have your stereo?”

Joan (face falling): “Oh, no, I don’t. Didn’t bring any of my records, either.”

Endeavour: “Well, I can try going back to your father, and ask him for the set.”

Joan: “Thank you.” (She begins to eat.) “What happened at the station?”

Endeavour: “Two more dead bodies.”

Joan: “How dreadful.”

Endeavour: “Yes. Monday morning, we have to set up the victims’ photos in a line, and try to tell if there’s some connection, other than them being killed the same way, probably by the same person.”

(They both eat and drink for a few minutes.)

Joan: “Let me call the landlord.” (She finds his number on the piece of paper she got from her father. She calls him.)

(The phone rings several times. Then):

Joan: “Hello, sir?”

Christopher: “Ah, yes, who is this?”

Joan: “Ms. Thursday.”

Christopher: “Ah! Did you get in all right?”

Joan: “Yes, I did. The flat is very nice.”

Christopher: “Left you a set of sheets, and a few furnishings.”

Joan: “Yes, thank you. That’ll save me some money.”

Christopher: “I don’t need to check on anything else. Rent’s due the first of every month.”

Joan: “Thank you, I will pay promptly.”

Christopher: “Of course. Bye now.”

Joan: “Goodbye.” (She hangs up, and goes back to sit at the table. She drinks the last of her soda.)

(Endeavour gets the garbage and throws it out. Then):

Joan: “So, what are we going to do? About – this?” (She waves her hand, to indicate the whole flat.)

Endeavour: “Well, I’ll go back to your father’s tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow, with my things.”

Joan: “Hmm. I wonder if I can put you on the lease.”

Endeavour: “Not until we’re married.”

Joan: “All right, then. You’ll just have to lay low.”

(Endeavour smiles.)

Endeavour: “It’ll be pretty boring here, without music.”

(Joan gets up, and walks toward him.)

Joan: “We could… think of something...”

(She walks up to him. They kiss.)

(Cut to: They walk through the bedroom door. She takes off his shirt. He keeps kissing her. They fall onto the sheets.)

(And some time later…)

(They lie side by side, underneath the sheets.)

Endeavour: “So… do you think I’m good?”

Joan (blinking): “What?”

Endeavour: “You know… good.” (He smirks.)

Joan (blushing): “Oh, you mean...”

(He kisses her.)

Endeavour: “Monica didn’t want to stay with me, Claudine didn’t want to stay with me...”

Joan (looking pained): “Don’t.”

Endeavour: “Why?”

(Joan glares at him.)

Endeavour (with a look of recognition): “Oh...”

Joan: “You left Monica alone for three or four months, while you went to live in the woods, and then party at your friend’s house. Could have called her, could have gotten in contact with her. But you didn’t. As for Claudine, she had a job to do.” 

Endeavour (frowning): “Yes.”

(Joan gathers the sheets around herself, and sits up.)

Joan: “There are women you have dumped because of * your * job. And I’m afraid the next one’s going to be me.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “Well, it’s awfully late to say that.”

(Endeavour grabs her around the waist and pulls her back down to him.)

Joan: “My father told me to get out. If you tell me to, well, I don’t know what I’ll-”

(He hugs her very tightly, and kisses her on top of her head.)

Joan: “I think it goes back… to the days at university… when you wanted to get married, but your girlfriend broke it off.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Joan: “And you’ve been afraid since then.”

(Endeavour sniffles.)

Joan: “Now.” (She kisses him.) “I’m not leaving.”

Endeavour (pause): “You won’t?” 

(Joan shakes her head.)

Joan: “We’ve got a child together.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Joan: “But that’s not the only reason.”

Endeavour (smiling faintly): “It isn’t?”

Joan: “No. I love you.”

Endeavour (softly): “...Really?...”

Joan: “I was so afraid to be with you, because I thought you didn’t like me. I thought you were just afraid of my father. But now-”

(He hugs her again.)

Joan: “Do you love me?”

Endeavour: “I don’t think-”

Joan: “Well?” (She looks frightened.)

Endeavour: “I don’t think we should go over this right now.”

(Joan’s face crumples. She starts to cry.)

Endeavour: “I’ll be back, after work tomorrow.”

(Joan covers an eye with her hand. Endeavour puts a hand on her shoulder.)

Joan (quietly): “Okay.”

Endeavour: “I don’t look forward to another row with your father.”

Joan: “Well, I could call him.”

Endeavour: “Don’t.”

(He gets up out of bed and retrieves his clothes. He looks back at her.)

Endeavour: “Got to go.”

Joan: “See you.” (She turns over, and is soon asleep.)

 

Act Two, Scene Two

(The next day. Endeavour arrives at work.)

(Officers stand in the hall and exchange gossip. Endeavour steps up to Lewis’ desk.)

Endeavour: “Do you know what’s going on?”

Lewis: “Another two bodies. Shot with arrows. The mayor is announcing a state of emergency.”

Endeavour: “Emergency?”

Lewis: “Yeah, that’ll help us get more funding to solve the case.”

Endeavour: “Is there going to be a press conference?”

Lewis: “Yeah, and a meeting for us. Get your drinks in.”

(Endeavour goes to the water cooler and gets a cup. Then a PC announces):

PC: “Meeting.”

(Everyone files into the hall. Bright takes the podium.)

Bright: “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.”

Everyone: “Good morning.”

Bright: “I’ll get right to the point. Two more people have been shot and killed by the bow and arrow murderer. One was an assistant to our Member of Parliament. The other was the MP’s wife. Our mayor has declared a state of emergency for this area.”

(The officers are shocked.)

Bright: “The MP will be visiting us later today or tomorrow, to respond to our request for an interview. He is preparing for the funerals at the moment. Needless to say, he is also deeply in shock. When he appears, I want all of you to show him respect. Whether or not you share his political beliefs. Is that clear?”

Everyone: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “Morse and Lewis. Look lively.”

(The two look up.)

Bright: “Dr. DeBryn has requested that the two of you, as well as your colleagues, not come and visit him for the next couple of days. There are national security issues to deal with. He will have the relevant photographs, as well as his report, sent to you by mail. This request will last until Thursday or Friday, and then you should be able to contact or visit him again.”

Lewis: “Yes, sir.”

Bright: “As always, everyone, please do not respond to requests for personal comments from the media. Refer them to me, or to our media officer instead, if I am not available. Thank you.”

(The officers nod.)

Bright: “If no one has any questions, you are dismissed.” (He waits a moment, then:) “Dismissed.”

(Everyone files out into the hallway.)

Lewis (to Endeavour): “How’s that for surprises? Now they’re going after the MP’s people. What the hell is wrong with this person?”

Endeavour: “Don’t know.” (He scratches the back of his neck.) “If you don’t mind, I’ve got to go to the, um, doctor.”

Lewis: “Yeah, sure. No problem.”

Endeavour: “Thanks.” (He turns and walks to the front desk of the station.)

(He walks up to the officer.)

Endeavour: “Can you tell me where the doctor’s office is?”

PC: “Sure, the physician or the shrink?”

Endeavour: “Ah – the second one.”

PC: “Sure...” (He looks in a book.) “You go way down this hall, then turn right, then left. It’s the second door.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He begins to walk.)

(He reaches the office, and knocks on the door.)

Peter: “Come in.”

(Endeavour opens the door, and shuts it behind him. He is quiet for a moment.)

Peter: “Is there any trouble?”

(Peter is in his early sixties. He wears a green suit.)

Endeavour: “Ah – I -”

Peter: “Do sit down. How may I help you?”

Endeavour: “Well, I’ve been having some – ah, some-”

Peter: “Issues?” (He raises his eyebrows.) “Don’t be afraid to talk about it. It gets easier, the more you try.”

(Endeavour sits in the chair in front of the doctor’s desk.)

Endeavour: “I’m Detective Sergeant Morse.”

Peter: “I recognized you, from a photo in the paper.”

Endeavour: “Ah, that’s good. I don’t think I have my picture on the wall yet.”

Peter: “No, that would mean you were either chief, or you had died.”

(Endeavour laughs nervously.)

Endeavour: “Could I make an appointment to speak to you later?”

Peter: “Certainly. I don’t have a secretary. I prefer to do things myself. What time would you like?”

Endeavour: “Is tomorrow available?”

Peter: “Ah, yes. I have a three o’clock opening.”

Endeavour: “I was expecting you to be backed up for two or three weeks.”

Peter: “Nobody wants to come and see me. You know, these are police officers, most are men, and this is England. The stubbornest of the stubborn.”

Endeavour: “I didn’t expect that.”

Peter: “Well. I’ll see you then, all right?”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(Peter hands him a business card. He puts it in his coat pocket, turns, and walks out.)

(He goes all the way back to his desk. Lewis is standing around, in front of his own station.)

Lewis: “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Lewis: “I wonder what this is all about. This crazy person.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Lewis: “Why does he shoot people? Does he think of them as animals? You know, like a hunter would shoot a deer?”

Endeavour: “That’s interesting.”

Lewis: “Does he want to discipline them? Did they all do something against him? What do all these people have in common?”

Endeavour: “As soon as DeBryn sends us the photos and report from his current autopsies, we’ll be able to do a comparison, on the board.”

Lewis: “Yeah.” (Sighs) “I hate waiting.”

Endeavour: “Me too.”

(He walks off down the hall, to the canteen. He gets a pack of corn crisps and sits to eat at a table. Endeavour idly follows.)

Lewis: “Hey.” (Pause) “I didn’t ask you to come here.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Lewis (pause, and then): “Oh, I get it.” (He smiles.)

Endeavour: “You do?”

Lewis: “You’re scared to be alone.”

Endeavour: “I am not.”

Lewis: “That’s why you’re simultaneously relieved to be getting married, yet you keep putting it off.”

Endeavour: “Hey, hey. That’s going a little far.”

Lewis: “Isn’t.” (He sticks out his tongue.)

Endeavour: “And how did you find out, anyway?”

Lewis: “Doesn’t matter.”

Endeavour: “Does!” (He looks at Lewis’ hand.) “I don’t see a ring on your finger.”

Lewis: “’Cause I was waiting for you to ask me.”

(Endeavour tilts his head, baffled.)

Lewis: “No, you idiot. In our country, men don’t wear engagement rings. I’m told that in Japan, they do.”

Endeavour: “Oh.”

Lewis: “But I’m still getting married.”

Endeavour: “Oh.” (Pause) “Have you invited everyone from the department?”

Lewis: “No. But quite a few.”

Endeavour: “Going to have a live band, or somebody playing records?”

Lewis: “Don’t know. Depends on what I can afford.”

Endeavour: “Doesn’t the bride’s father usually pay for it?”

Lewis: “Good God, man. We are about to be in the 1970s. Try to think above yourself, a little bit.”

(He finishes the snack and throws out the bag. He walks out.)

(Endeavour, with nothing better to do, decides to watch TV. He cranes his neck to look at the television set, which is attached by metal struts to a mantelpiece from the ceiling. The TV is turned to the news.)

Announcer: “The United States space agency, NASA, continues its quest to be the first to land on the Moon. Here, we see some astronauts getting ready for the trip.”

(Some footage is played, of the men walking around in spacesuits.)

Announcer: “Next, our local MP has a prepared statement about this morning’s murders.”

(Endeavour gets up and walks out.)

(He goes back to his desk, and stands around, trying to think clearly.)

(Lewis is typing at his desk.)

Endeavour: “Did the photos from Dr. DeBryn get here yet?”

Lewis: “No. You can look at my notes on the case so far, if you want.”

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

(He takes a folder from Lewis’ ‘In’ tray. He sits down to read it at his own chair.)

(We see him read over his shoulder.)

Notes: “Victims: Leon Underwood, John Trug, Tony Spriggs, Michelle Egan, Rebecca Fried, Jason Turrell. Jobs? Various. Leon worked in finance. John was a teacher. Both played cricket. Tony ran auto shop. Michelle was buying something. May have been killed as a witness, not the original target. Rebecca, married to MP. Jason, MP’s assistant. What do they have in common?”

(Endeavour drums his fingers on the table, then takes out his own notepad and pen, and begins to write some notes.)

(Minutes later, DC Strange walks up.)

Jim: “Press conference. Let’s get in the car.”

(Lewis, Endeavour, and Jim walk to Jim’s car in the parking lot. They drive to the conference, which is being held in front of a civic building, a few kilometers away.)

(There is a bustling crowd of reporters and bystanders in front of the podium. MP Philip Fried comes out to speak. He is accompanied by staff people. Fried is in his early fifties, with black hair.)

Fried: “Hello, please. Thank you for your attention.” (He clears his throat.) “Earlier, my wife and one of my assistants were murdered, by the bow and arrow killer. I see that some of our police detail is present. I would like to know what they are doing.”

(He glares at the three detectives.)

Jim: “Sir, we are doing all that we can. We started an investigation as soon as we heard the news. We would like to speak to someone from your office, as soon as you care to send them to us.”

Fried: “All right. We will send someone. I have to make it through.”

(There is a rumble among the reporters.)

Fried: “If you have not arrested a suspect within one week, there will be penalties to pay.”

Endeavour: “But, sir-”

Fried: “That is all for now. Thank you.” (He turns and walks into the building, leaving his helpers to take away the podium.)

Jim: “May as well go.”

Endeavour: “He can’t threaten people like that, can he?”

Jim: “Well-”

(They get in the car.)

Jim: “I doubt if he’ll have any of us up on charges. He probably means he’ll embarrass us in the press.”

Endeavour: “I don’t like either of those ideas.”

Lewis: “Who’s up for lunch?”

Jim: “I guess I am.”

(Jim drives until they find a take-away place. He stuffs money into Lewis’ hand.)

Lewis: “What do you want?”

Jim: “Roast beef.”

Lewis: “All right.” (He hops out of the car and runs into the store.”

Endeavour: “Hey! I want chicken!” (He calls out, but Lewis does not look back.) “I hope he remembers...”

(Minutes later, Lewis returns, with three cartons of food.)

Lewis: “I got three beef and broccolis. You get a free bottle of fizzy drink with that.” (He opens the bottle and takes a pull.) “I picked grape. It’s great.”

Endeavour (mumbling): “I wanted chicken...”

(They drive back to the station, and get out. They sit in the canteen for a while.)

Endeavour (to Jim): “Haven’t seen you in a while. How’ve you been?”

Jim: “Passing.” 

Endeavour: “That doesn’t sound too good.”

Jim: “Well.” (He digs into his carton of food.)

Endeavour: “Come on. Talk to me!” (He smiles.)

(Jim frowns, and continues to eat.)

Endeavour: “Well… all right...”

(The three eat until they are finished. Lewis takes the garbage to the bin.)

(They all walk down the hall.)

(Jim starts to loosen up his shirt collar, and mumbles to himself.)

Endeavour: “What’s that?”(He smiles.)

Jim: “Nothing. I’m getting married.”

Endeavour: “Congratulations.”

Jim: “Thank you.”

Endeavour: “So, where’s the church?”

Jim: “Her father is going to pick it.”

Endeavour: “Well, that saves you time.”

Jim: “Right.”

Endeavour: “Well...” (As Jim continues to walk away) “Be seeing you...”

Jim: “Sure.”

(Jim continues down the hall and goes into the library.)

Endeavour: “Guess he’s got a lot on his mind...”

(Cut to: The end of shift. Endeavour gets his jacket and leaves.)

(He enters a pub and sits down. He orders several drinks, over the course of time.)

(Hours later, he walks into the parking lot, to go home.)

(It is just when he is sitting behind the steering wheel that he remembers he was supposed to bring Joan’s belongings back to her flat. He curses and slaps the wheel with his palm.)

(He puts the radio on, and heads into traffic.)

(At Thursday’s home, Morse gets out and opens the door. He runs upstairs and starts to pack Joan’s belongings into some plastic boxes. One by one, he brings them down and puts them in the boot of the car.)

(On his way back in, Thursday catches him.)

Thursday: “Hey, son. Didn’t see you today. I had a bunch of meetings to go to.”

Endeavour: “Too bad we missed each other.”

Thursday: “Yes. What have you got there?”

Endeavour: “Ah… just a few of Ms. Thursday’s things. I said I’d bring them over.”

Thursday: “Hey. Remember what I told you?”

Endeavour: “Yes, I do.”

Thursday: “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were still in love with her.”

Endeavour: (Pause. He clears his throat.) “I am.”

(Thursday raises his eyebrows.)

Thursday: “Really?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Thursday: “Well, remember, I warned you.” (He walks upstairs to go to sleep.)

(Endeavour finishes packing the boxes and goes back in the house, to shut off the lights. He gets in the car and drives off.)

(Not long afterwards, he arrives in Abingdon. He pulls up at Joan’s flat.)

(He knocks on the door, and waits.)

(She answers the door, in a bathrobe, pajamas and slippers. The TV is on in the background.)

Joan: “It’s you.”

Endeavour: “I brought your things.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(Endeavour goes to the car and brings back a case. He carries it to a side room in the flat. He repeats the process until he is done.)

Endeavour: “I figured you could set these up tomorrow.”

Joan: “Thank you.” (She rubs his shoulders.)

Endeavour: “Thank you, that’s – wonderful.”

(She steps back.)

Joan: “Well, I guess you’re between two worlds now. Where will you live?”

(He stops to think.)

Endeavour: “I guess-”

(She dips her chin. She sighs and sits down on the couch.)

(Then, she remembers something.)

(She gets up and goes into her room. Endeavour sits down on the couch.)

(Moments later, Joan comes back. She has with her a bag from a clothing store.)

Joan: “I, ah, I got you something.”

Endeavour: “Oh?” (He smiles.)

(Joan takes out a white t-shirt in a bag.)

Joan: “Here.”

Endeavour: “Ah, thank you.” (He unwraps the shirt.) “It’s a four-times extra large...”

Joan (quietly): “They had a sale.”

Endeavour: “Oh, ah, thanks.” (He folds it and puts it on the sofa next to him.) “Come, sit by me.” (He pats the chair next to him. She sits with him.)

Joan: “So.”

Endeavour: “So.” (He smiles.)

(The television drones on. It’s playing a news update.)

Announcer: “The Americans, today, ran technical tests for their planned NASA flight to the Moon.”

(Footage plays of people working in the NASA control room.)

Joan: “Do we even have a space program?”

Endeavour: “I think so...”

Announcer: “Next, it’s Jill Diamond with the weather. Jill?”

Jill: “We have-”

(Suddenly, the power goes out.)

Endeavour: “Oh, no!”

Joan: “I’ll get the candles.”

Endeavour: “You got candles already?”

Joan: “Yes, I had the day off today. Went shopping in the afternoon.”

(She walks into the kitchen and gets a candle and a match. She lights the candle.)

Joan: “Now, I guess we just have to wait.”

Endeavour: “Ah, I’ve got to get going.”

Joan: “Going?”

(He walks to the bathroom. Minutes later, he comes out.)

Endeavour: “I’ll see you. Bye.”

(He picks up the new shirt, walks to the door, and waves.)

Joan: “No kiss goodnight? Hey-”

(He closes the door.)

(Disappointed, and more than a little depressed, Joan goes to sit on the couch. She continues to hold up the candle.)

(A few minutes later, the lights come back on. Joan blows out the candle, and continues to watch TV.)

 

Act Two, Scene Three

(At the station, the next day.)

(Jim walks up.)

Jim: “Here are the photos of the victims, and the report, from Dr. DeBryn.”

Endeavour: “Let’s go to the room.”

(Jim, Endeavour, and Lewis get up and walk down the hall, to a spare room, with a blackboard in it. Jim puts up the photos from Dr. DeBryn’s folder, then the pictures of the other victims as well. He starts to write on the blackboard.)

Jim: “What do we know about these people?” (He writes this question and underlines it.)

Lewis: “On the surface, they don’t seem to have a lot in common. Two were cricket players, two were in an auto parts store, and two were an MP’s wife, plus his assistant.”

(Jim taps the blackboard with his chalk.)

Jim: “Dev, this is usually where you come in.”

Endeavour (blinking): “I asked you to please not call me that-”

Jim: “Overcome it.”

Endeavour (sighing): “Are they all having affairs with each other?”

Jim: “Don’t think so. A sixty-year-old woman who comes in to buy spark plugs is, ah, a bit outside the dating pool for a 28-year-old auto store clerk.”

Lewis: “You never know.”

(Jim writes the victims’ jobs on the board.)

Jim: “Leon = finance. John = teacher. Tony = auto parts store. Michelle = retired, customer at auto store. Rebecca = wife of MP Fried. Jason = assistant to MP Fried.”

Endeavour: “What party is MP Fried in?”

Jim: “Conservative.”

Endeavour: “Ah.”

Jim: “Did they all go to the same pub, or something? Did this stem from an earlier fight?”

Endeavour: “Did they all vote for his opponent?”

Jim: “I hope not, with his wife.”

Lewis: “Did we look into Philip’s background at all?”

Jim: “Not yet. What did you have in mind?”

Lewis: “I don’t know. Did they know something they weren’t supposed to know about his travel, his investments, what?” (He fiddles with a ball-point pen.) “Most murders come down to money or sex.”

Jim: “Hmm. We can start there.” 

Endeavour: “How can we get a warrant to go over his bank records?”

Jim: “Ask for one?”

Endeavour: “Thus earning the eternal enmity of the man and his party.”

Jim: “I don’t know how you vote, and I don’t care. I just want to find a way into this case.”

Lewis: “I’ll tell the magistrate it’s because we suspect someone of fraudulently removing money from his bank account.”

Endeavour: “Then that becomes a fraudulently obtained warrant. Itself a crime.”

Lewis: “Shut up, nerd.”

Endeavour: “Hey!”

Jim: “Settle down, the two of you.”

Lewis: “Then maybe tell them we have to review the funding applications of all politicians who run for office?”

Endeavour (blinking): “Do we actually have to do that?”

Jim: “Try and get a court order.”

Lewis: “Right. Got it.”

Endeavour: “Good luck...” 

Jim: “You’re welcome to check on whatever you want.”

Endeavour: “Right...”

Jim: “We are waiting for the fingerprint work on the arrows to come back.”

Endeavour: “Okay.”

Jim: “As soon as we do that, we can get to work on narrowing down the suspects.”

Lewis: “Hey, I heard we’re getting a computer soon.”

Endeavour: “One of those mainframes?”

Lewis: “Yeah.”

Jim: “We might be, yes. I don’t know where they’re going to put it.”

Endeavour: “How’s it going to help us with the fingerprints?”

Jim: “I don’t know, maybe match patterns or something?”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

Jim: “Well, I’ll let you gentlemen get back to work. You may leave now.”

(Lewis walks out.)

Endeavour: “Not going to say ‘Dismissed’ until you pass your Sergeant’s exam?” (He grins.)

Jim: “I don’t get to even try for it until at least next year. Plus, Marcia doesn’t want me to take it at all. I may not.”

Endeavour: “Girls. What do they know.” (He gives a sarcastic snort.)

Jim: “Well, she’s right. Look what happened to Lewis.”

Endeavour: “Ah...”

Jim: “And why do you think WPCs Hampton and McGuire haven’t tried to take the exam yet? They’ve been here a few years. They haven’t even made it to WDC yet.”

(Endeavour blinks.)

Jim: “They’d get killed. Possibly by friendly fire.”

Endeavour: “That’s pretty... treacherous.”

Jim: “You know, I just want to be… safe. Not coming home with five bullet wounds. If I’m going to have a family, that’s what it has to be.”

Endeavour (quietly): “Yeah.” (He walks out of the room, trudging, as if thinking solemnly about something.)

(Cut to: near the end of shift. Lewis is straightening up his desk. Endeavour is typing up a report.)

(Suddenly, Endeavour gets into a big coughing fit. He pats his collarbone.)

Lewis: “You okay?” (He gets up.)

Endeavour: “Yes, it’ll pass.” (He gets his jacket.)

(He walks out into the parking lot and gets into the car. He decides to head to Joan’s place.)

(On the way, he continues to cough. He turns up the radio.)

(He parks and goes up to her door. He knocks.)

(When she answers, he is in the middle of another coughing fit.)

Joan: “Are you all right? Come in.”

(She pulls his shoulder. He walks in.)

Joan: “You look a fright. Sit down.”

(She ushers him over to the couch.)

Joan: “Let me get you some water.” (She heads to the kitchen, to get him a glass.)

(She comes back. He drinks half of it in one go.)

Endeavour: “All of a sudden, it’s really hot in here.”

(He coughs again. Then, he clutches the top of his chest, and falls off the couch.)

Joan: “Oh my God!” (She runs to call an ambulance.)

(Cut to: The ambulance arrives. The EMTs run up to the house, with a stretcher.)

(They take Endeavour out and place him in the ambulance.)

Joan (to an EMT): “Help him, you have to help him.”

EMT: “We will, ma’am. He’s in good hands.”

Joan: “I have to call my father. They work together.”

EMT: “He should be in the hospital at least until tomorrow. We’re going to St. Daniel’s.”

Joan: “All right.” 

EMT: “Not sure if he’ll have surgery. You can call tomorrow, to find out.”

Joan: “When can I visit?”

EMT: “Ah, there are no restrictions on visiting times, unless he’s in Intensive Care. Then it’s 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

EMT: “Yes, ma’am.” (He shuts the back door of the ambulance, and gets in the passenger side.)

(The ambulance drives away. A neighbor has come out on his front steps, to look. He is a man in his late seventies.)

Calloway: “What happened?” 

Joan: “My friend had a heart attack.”

Calloway: “Oh, that’s terrible. I hope he’s all right.”

Joan: “Yeah.” (She puts a hand on her chest, and breathes heavily.) 

Calloway: “Are you going to be all right?”

Joan: “I’m a little scared, but I will be okay.”

Calloway: “Okay. Tell him I said hello.”

Joan: “Thank you. I will.” (She walks back into her flat.)

 

(Act Two, Scene Four)

(Joan calls her father. The phone rings.)

Thursday: “Hello? It’s late, why are you-”

Joan: “Dad, it’s me. Listen, Morse had a heart attack. They took him to the hospital.”

Thursday: “What? Are you serious?”

Joan: “Yes. They just took him away. He’s at St. Daniel’s Hospital. They haven’t said whether he’ll have surgery, but I’m guessing he might.”

Thursday: “Good God. Thank you for calling me.”

Joan: “Yes, Dad.”

Thursday: “I was in meetings again all day at work. I didn’t see him.”

Joan: “They said there’s no time limit on visits, except for Intensive Care, which is 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.”

Thursday: “Right. Good to know. I’ll tell everyone at the station tomorrow.”

Joan: “Thank you, Dad. Goodbye.”

Thursday: “All right.” (He hangs up.)

(Joan hugs her elbows and wonders what to do. She then walks into her room, and shuts the door.)

 

(Act Two, Scene Five)

(Joan wakes up in the morning and gets dressed. Then she places a phone call to St. Daniel’s.)

Joan: “Hello, who can I talk to, to find out whether a patient has surgery today?”

Nurse: “I can check that for you.”

Joan: “His name is Endeavour Morse.”

Nurse: “Let me see… Yes, he is going in for surgery today.”

Joan: “Do you have the scheduled time?”

Nurse: “Ah, it says it starts at 10:30 a.m. It should last a few hours.”

Joan: “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

Nurse: “Yes, ma’am.” (She hangs up.)

(Joan takes a deep breath, then calls her father again.)

Joan: “Hello, Dad?”

Thursday: “Yes?”

Joan: “I just called the hospital. They say Morse is going to have surgery starting at 10:30. It’ll take a few hours.”

Thursday: “Thank you for calling. I’ll notify everyone, when I get to the station.”

Joan: “Goodbye.”

Thursday: “Goodbye.”

(He walks back out to the car, and heads to the station.)

(He goes into the building, and stops within earshot of several people’s work areas.)

Thursday: “May I have your attention, please?”

(The room quiets down.)

Thursday: “Last night, DS Morse had a heart attack. He was taken to St. Daniel’s.”

(A gasp goes through the room.)

Thursday: “He’s supposed to have surgery later this morning. Keep a good thought in mind.”

(Lewis looks shocked.)

Lewis: “Damn, damn...”

Jim: “Holy shit.”

Thursday (to Jim): “After work today, I’m stopping by church, to light a candle.”

Jim: “I might want to do that as well.”

Thursday: “Well, I’ll be in my office, if anybody needs me.”

(He walks off.)

Jim: “Damn. You just never know.”

Lewis: “Let’s just – ah, get him a card or something.”

Jim: “Yeah. I’ll send one of the PCs, on his lunch break.”

(Jim turns and walks away.)

 

Act Three, Scene One

(The next day. Noontime, at the station. PC Gerald Florette walks up to Jim’s desk.)

Gerald: “The card has been signed by everyone, sir. I’ll have it stamped and delivered.”

Jim: “Why did we take so long?”

Gerald: “Probably all the hubbub, sir.”

Jim: “Yes, well, get it to the Postal Service, thank you.”

Gerald: “Yes, sir.”

(He walks away.)

(Lewis walks up to Jim.)

Lewis: “How ya’ doin’?”

Jim: “I’m well, and you?”

Lewis: “We got that warrant to look into MP Fried’s financial paperwork. On the excuse that it could be extended to cover any politician. So, I may be looking through the Lord Mayor’s mess, as well. Even though I don’t think he is a suspect in this case.”

Jim: “Well, I guess you’re off to City Hall, and the Records Building.”

Lewis: “Yeah, looks like it. And the city library, and who knows where else.”

Jim: “If you go to the library, say hi to Marcia.”

Lewis: “I will.”

Jim: “Take a briefcase. And some coins, for copies.”

(Jim goes in his storage cabinets and brings out a briefcase. He hands it to Lewis.)

Lewis: “I’ve got coins.”

Jim: “Good. Break a leg out there.”

Lewis: “I’ll call you if I need you.”

Jim: “Thanks.”

(Lewis walks out.)

(Cut to: Jim walks down the hall, to Thursday’s office.)

Jim: “Afternoon, sir. Did you hear if Morse is out of surgery yet?”

Thursday: “I just called. Maybe another two hours.”

(Jim winces.)

Jim: “All right. Did you talk to your daughter yet?”

Thursday: “Yesterday. She’s off work until Monday.”

Jim: “Did you want to call her now?”

Thursday: “No, she’s – probably out doing something.”

Jim: “Ah. Well, good luck.”

Thursday: “Thank you.”

(Jim walks out. Thursday stares at the phone.)

(Cut to: Two hours later. At St. Daniel’s Hospital.)

(Orderlies wheel Endeavour out of the surgery room, and to the recovery room on another floor.)

(The nurses come in and run some checks on him. The doctor also walks in.)

McCorrey: “Hello, can you hear me?” (He taps Morse gently on the arm. The man does not move.) “He’ll sleep for a while. If you hear any messages from him, call me in as well.”

Nurse: “Yes, sir.”

(Cut to: The lounge room, down the hall. Two orderlies who worked on Endeavour’s case sit and talk about it. Mike eats corn crisps, Louis drinks a fruit juice.)

Mike: “So, what about that guy, Morse?”

Louis: “Yeah, I know. He’s not fat. That can’t be what caused it.”

Mike: “He’s pretty thin.”

Louis: “Maybe it runs in his family.”

Mike: “Maybe too much drink.”

Louis: “Yeah, he’s a police officer. That can get ‘em.”

(Louis throws out his juice can.)

Mike: “Back to work.”

(They both get up and walk down the hall.)

(Cut to: Later that evening. Lewis and Jim walk into the hospital.)

Jim: “Hello.” (He and Lewis both show their IDs to the nurse.) “We’re here to see Endeavour Morse. He’s a patient. Should have gotten out of heart surgery this afternoon.”

Nurse: “I’ll check for you.” (She reads the log book.) “He’s in recovery room 21C.”

Lewis: “Can we see him?”

Nurse: “You can, but I doubt he’ll be awake.” (She calls the upstairs ward. No one picks up.) “There’s no answer. You can chance it on your own.”

Jim: “Thank you.” (He and Lewis walk to the lift. They take the ride to the second floor.)

(The two of them find room 21C. They open the door.)

(Endeavour is asleep. He is wearing a hospital gown. He is the only patient in the room.)

(Lewis gulps. Jim makes the sign of the Cross.)

Jim: “Hello. Almost lost you there, mate.”

Lewis: “Wow.” (He gulps.) “I am – not quite prepared-”

(Lewis briefly touches Endeavour’s face. It is cold and clammy.)

Jim: “There’s the card.” (He points to a side table, where the get-well card the policemen sent in is displayed.) “You may want to get him a teddy bear or something.”

Lewis: “Yeah. I’ll see if I can find one with a copper’s hat.”

(Endeavour stirs under the pull of the medicine. He wriggles from side to side, and grumbles. He does not become fully awake.)

Jim: “Whoa, mate. Didn’t want to disturb your sleep.”

Lewis: “Maybe we should just go. We can always come back tomorrow.” (He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.) “I’ve got some papers you should see, in the morning.”

Jim: “Okay. Let’s get going.”

(The two turn and walk out. Camera goes back to the view of Endeavour’s bed.)

 

Act Three, Scene Two

(The next day. Lewis arrives at work.)

(He walks up to Jim.)

Lewis: “Are you and I supposed to finish up the bow and arrow case?”

Jim: “Yeah. What about those new records you mentioned yesterday, from the government building?”

Lewis: “Let me get ‘em.” (He goes back to his desk and finds a folder of papers.) “Here. I found some strange things. The good MP has a charity foundation. You’ll never guess who donated to it.”

Jim: “Lots of people?”

Lewis: “All of the victims, except for that lady who was shot at the auto store. She could have been killed just because she was there.”

Jim: “I thought so. How much did they donate?”

Lewis: “A few dozen pounds each. Not much.”

Jim: “So, why were they killed?”

Lewis: “Don’t know. It’s not much, when you think about it.”

Jim: “Unless… the foundation was fake.”

Lewis: “Yeah. If he planned on taking some secret girlfriend to Tahiti… and his wife found out about it...”

Jim: “Then it’s lights out time.”

Lewis: “Yeah. Time to get another warrant, for the MP himself.”

Jim: “Good luck serving that one.”

(Lewis sighs.)

Lewis: “I’ll go before the end of the day. Just have to get Thursday’s signature.”

(He takes out a piece of warrant paperwork, and begins to write out his portion of the form. Then he walks down to Thursday’s office.)

(He knocks on the door.)

Thursday: “Hello?”

Lewis: “Afternoon, sir.” 

Thursday: “Need me to sign something?”

Lewis: “Yes, this, if you don’t mind.”

Thursday: “It’s a warrant… okay by me.”

(Lewis notices a small box on the DCI’s desk.)

Lewis: “Getting earrings for a friend?” (He smiles.)

Thursday: “No, I got Morse’s engagement ring back from my daughter.”

Lewis (blinks): “What?”

Thursday: “I stopped by her place, before I came to work this morning. She had a big fight with me about it. Was yelling and screaming. ‘Dad, I want to be with him,’ ‘Dad, you don’t understand,’ that sort of thing. I tore it off her hand.”

(Lewis’ mouth opens in shock.)

Lewis: “You tore it off her?”

Thursday: “Yes. Had to do what was right.”

Lewis: “But it’s a decision for two other people to make, sir.”

Thursday: “It isn’t. About time somebody here started to act sensible.”

Lewis: “She must have been very mad about it.”

Thursday: “Believe me, she was through the roof.”

Lewis: “If you don’t mind my asking, sir, when did you become so conservative?”

Thursday: “When my wife passed. I realized it takes a lot more to form a good marriage than just love.”

Lewis: “My parents have been married over thirty years.”

Thursday: “I don’t care-”

Lewis: “My aunt and uncle have been married twenty-eight years. My cousin-”

Thursday: “But that’s rare in today’s world.”

Lewis: “You think there’s some kind of special magic about forcing together two people who have never known each other before?”

Thursday: “Well then, why is divorce so low in other countries?”

Lewis: “Because it’s illegal, and women can’t get jobs.”

Thursday: “Well-” (He stops for a moment.) “I’ll find Morse someone.”

Lewis: “And your daughter?”

Thursday: “I don’t know.”

Lewis: “So he gets the prize, while she gets to be lonely. And what if the DS doesn’t like his new fiancee?”

(Thursday blinks.)

Lewis: “I heard rumors before, but it seems you really do wish Morse were your kid, instead of Joan.”

Thursday: “Now-”

Lewis: “Would you sign the warrant, please? I have to take it over to the magistrate, too.” (He holds out the paper.)

(Thursday takes it and signs the bottom line.)

Thursday: “Good. Now go out there and do justice.”

Lewis: “Right.” (Lewis walks out of the room.)

 

Act Three, Scene Three

(Lewis comes out of the magistrate’s office, and folds up the warrant. He puts it in his pocket.)

(He gets in his car, and drives to the MP’s office. He walks up to the front desk.)

Lewis: “Good afternoon. I’m Detective Constable Lewis, with the Thames Valley Police.” (He shows his ID to the clerk.) “I’d like to speak with MP Fried.”

Clerk: “I’m not sure he’s in.”

Lewis: “I’m sure you can please check.”

Clerk (sighing): “All right, I will.” (He presses a button on the intercom.) “Is MP Fried in his office right now?” (He waits and listens to the response.) “Okay. Thank you.” (He turns to Lewis.) “You can go on in.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(Lewis walks down the hall to a large office. Fried is waiting there.)

Fried: “Let’s make this quick. I’ve got a meeting to go to.”

Lewis: “Afternoon, sir. I would like to speak to you about the operations of your charity foundation.”

Fried: “What’s there to know? We give out thousands of pounds every year, to soup kitchens, that kind of thing.”

Lewis: “I found some things that you might like to know about, sir. Some anomalies.”

Fried: “Oh, really? Come sit down.”

(Lewis goes to sit at a table in the MP’s inner office. He takes out the papers from his public records research.)

Fried: “Tell me, what went wrong, if you can?” (He drums his fingers on the desk.)

Lewis: “There were six people killed by someone with a bow and arrow, in the last few days. One of them was your wife.”

Fried: “Yes. We’ve had a private service for her.”

Lewis: “Ah. Well. It appears five out of the six have made donations to your foundation within the last year. One person, a Ms. Michelle Egan, seems to have been shot because she was a witness. Tony Spriggs was selling her spark plugs at the moment she was shot. Tony had donated to your group. Michelle had not.”

Fried: “Go on.”

Lewis: “Do you have any idea who may have been mad enough at the others in order to shoot them dead?”

Fried: “No. I do not.”

Lewis: “Did you notify our department before you had the interment for your wife?”

Fried: “No. I don’t believe that’s police business.”

Lewis: “She was likely murdered, sir.”

Fried: “In my religion, we don’t do autopsies.”

Lewis: “What might your religion be, sir?”

Fried (smiling): “Get out.”

Lewis: “But-”

Fried: “You heard me. Go. I can stop a lot of funding to your department. Really, I don’t want to do that.” (He smiles again, and points at the door.)

(Lewis gets up and walks out.)

 

Act Three, Scene Four

(Lewis heads back to the station. He walks down to Thursday’s office.)

(No one is in there. Thursday has stepped out for the moment. Lewis looks around the room.)

(He finds the little ring box atop a big cabinet. He puts it in his pocket.)

(Lewis stops at his desk and puts away all his notes and papers. Then he gets in the car and heads to the hospital.)

(He walks to the front desk.)

Lewis: “Yes, I’d like to visit patient Endeavour Morse, please. I’m with the same department.” (He shows his police ID.)

Nurse: “All right, just one moment.” (She checks the register.) “He’s still in room 21C. You may go.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

(He walks down the hall and gets in the lift. He presses the second floor button.)

(He emerges and goes to the room door. He knocks.)

(There is a quiet response. Lewis opens the door.)

(Endeavour lies in bed. Lewis closes the door behind him.)

(The room smells like cleaning fluid.)

Lewis: “Hey, did they give you any food since yesterday?”

Endeavour: “A little. Mostly soup. And pancakes.” (His voice is quiet and raspy.)

Lewis: “Everyone down at the station says hello.”

Endeavour: “I figured.”

Lewis: “Did they tell you if you have a condition?”

Endeavour: “They think it may be one or two things.”

Lewis: “It’s not the same without you. We can’t wait for you to come back.”

Endeavour: “Did you make any progress on the arrow case?”

Lewis: “A bit. We found out the victims all donated to the MP’s charity.”

Endeavour: “How much?”

Lewis: “Small amounts. The only one who didn’t was the lady who was shopping at the auto store. She may have been killed because the shooter wanted to eliminate a witness.”

Endeavour: “So, why did the shooter want them killed?”

Lewis: “I’m thinking that the person behind it, may not have been the shooter. He may have hired the shooter’s services.”

Endeavour: “Who do you think paid him?”

Lewis: “Ah, our good MP himself.”

Endeavour: “Oh, dear.”

(Endeavour’s arm starts to tremble.)

Lewis: “Hey, you aren’t having another one, are you?”

Endeavour: “No. Can you hand me some water?”

(Lewis gets him a cup of water from the faucet.)

Lewis: “Here you go.”

(Endeavour drinks it straight away.)

Endeavour: “Thank you.”

Lewis: “Speaking of reasons to live.” (He reaches in his pocket and brings out the ring box.) “I got this from Thursday’s office.”

(Endeavour stares.)

Endeavour: “What is that? Did Ms. Thursday-”

Lewis: “No. DCI Thursday took it from her. He said he went to her flat, and they had a big fight, and he tore the ring off her hand.”

Endeavour: “What?” (He frowns, and sniffles.)

Lewis: “I guess he really doesn’t want the two of you to be together.” (He takes a deep breath.) “He said he’d become more set in his ways since his wife passed away.”

Endeavour: “Really?” (His face is bleak.)

Lewis: “Yeah. I’m sorry.” (He hands Endeavour the ring box. Endeavour quickly opens and shuts it.)

Endeavour: “Call Ms. Thursday. Tell her I want to see her.”

Lewis: “I will.” (He smiles.) “Did you need any more food?”

Endeavour: “I could do with a decent BLT.”

Lewis: “I’ll smuggle one in from the pub.”

Endeavour: “Please.”

Lewis: “You know, seeing you in this place makes me almost feel sorry for you.”

Endeavour: “Almost?” (He smiles.)

Lewis: “I may start to be your friend.”

Endeavour: “May?”

Lewis: “Well, I’ve got to get some sleep for tomorrow. Want me to turn on the telly?”

Endeavour: “Yes. See you later.”

Lewis: “See you.” (He crosses to the TV stand and flips on the set. He finds a cricket match.) “Bye now.”

Endeavour: “Goodbye.”

(Lewis walks out. Endeavour settles in and watches the match.)

 

Act Three, Scene Five

(At Joan’s flat. The phone rings. Joan looks up from the TV drama she is watching, and answers the phone.)

Joan: “Hello?”

Lewis: “Hi, it’s Robert. How are you?”

Joan: “Not well, after this morning.”

Lewis: “I know what happened. I’m sorry.”

Joan: “Well, yes?”

Lewis: “Listen, I called to tell you that DS Morse is in a bit better shape, and he can talk to you, if you go to St. Daniel’s. He’s in room 21C.”

Joan: “Thank you. Did he really say that?”

Lewis: “Yes, he did. He wants to see you.”

Joan: “Thank you. I’ll go right away.”

Lewis: “You may want to call ahead first. In case he went to sleep. He’s going to be tired, from all this.”

Joan: “Sure. I’ll do that.”

Lewis: “Keep your chin up.”

Joan: “Thank you. Bye now.”

Lewis: “Goodbye.”

(Joan hangs up. Next, she calls the hospital.)

(It rings. The nurse picks up.)

Nurse: “Hello, St. Daniel’s switchboard?”

Joan: “Yes, please, I’d like to speak to patient Endeavour Morse, in room 21C?”

Nurse: “I’ll put you through.” (She connects the call.)

(There is a click, then a wait. Morse picks up the call.)

Endeavour: “Hello?”

Joan: “Hi. It’s me. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Endeavour: “No, I was watching the cricket. How are you? Did you and your Dad really have a fight?”

Joan: “Yes. He came over this morning and told me, ‘You’re not getting married. You can’t.’ He went on and on about how we’re not right for each other. He said he’d been thinking about this since Mom died. I said, ‘I really want to marry him. There isn’t anything you can do about it.’”

Endeavour: “And?”

Joan: “He grabbed my hand and tore the ring off it.”

(Endeavour takes a deep breath.)

Endeavour: “Let me talk to him about it. You can come over tomorrow morning.”

Joan: “All right. If that’s what you want.”

Endeavour: “See you later.”

Joan: “I love you. Goodbye.”

(Endeavour hangs up. He rings for the nurse.)

Nurse: “You need help?”

Endeavour: “Please shut off the telly.”

Nurse: “Yes.” (She shuts it off.) “There you go. Anything else?”

Endeavour: “No. Thank you.” (The nurse walks out.)

(Endeavour picks up the phone again, and dials Thursday’s house.)

(It rings for quite a while. Then, Thursday picks up.)

Thursday: “Hello.”

Endeavour: “Hello. It seems we are at odds again.”

Thursday (pause): “All right.”

Endeavour: “Sir, you went to the engagement party, why did you try to interfere after this time? What were you thinking?”

Thursday: “Well, I just wanted you to be taken care of.”

Endeavour: “What about your daughter? What about our child?”

Thursday: “You can arrange for that afterwards.”

Endeavour (raising his voice a little): “What about your daughter?”

Thursday: “Well – she doesn’t know what she’s thinking.”

Endeavour: “I asked her. You saw me, the second time.”

Thursday: “The second?”

Endeavour: “Yes. There was a first. She turned me down, because she thought I pitied her.”

Thursday: “And did you?”

Endeavour: “Yes, back then. But not the second time.”

Thursday: “Well...”

Endeavour: “Look, I know I rearranged the time for the wedding, but I can set it up again. And I’ll really go this time.” (Pause) “I know she wants you to be there.”

Thursday: “I – I-”

Endeavour: “I don’t want us to run away and elope, but I bet I could, if I talk to her. I almost got that job at Scotland Yard a year ago. We will go, if you make us. (Pause) You’ll hardly ever see your grandchild.”

(Thursday pauses a long time. Then:)

Thursday: “I’ll talk to her. Let me think about it.”

Endeavour: “All right, but this is the last time, sir.”

Thursday: “Very good. Bye now.”

Endeavour: “Goodbye.” (He hangs up.)

(He turns his head toward the window, and looks out.)

 

Act Four, Scene One

(In Joan’s flat. She wakes up and gets ready for the day.)

(Once dressed, she walks outside and gets the bus.)

(She stops at St. Daniel’s, and approaches the front desk nurse.)

Joan: “Hello, I’m interested in seeing a patient. Is Endeavour Morse still in 21C?”

Nurse (checking her logbook): “Ah, yes, it seems he is. You can go up.”

Joan: “Thank you.” (Joan shows her driver’s license.) “My license.”

(The nurse nods, and hands her a visitor’s sticker. Joan puts it on her shirt, and walks to the lift.)

(She gets out of the lift, finds the room, and opens the door.)

Joan: “Hello?”

(A nurse is talking to Endeavour. The nurse turns around.)

Endeavour: “Hey-”

Nurse: “I was just leaving. Thank you. If there are any problems, signal me.” (She wheels out the food tray, into the hall, and shuts the door.)

(Joan crosses to his bed, and gives him a kiss. She pulls a chair to the bedside, and sits down.)

Joan: “How are you?”

Endeavour: “Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll be up in a day or two.”

Joan: “Stop lying.”

(They both laugh.)

Joan: “Do they know what caused it?”

Endeavour: “Well, I told them I smoked for a couple of years, when I was at school.”

Joan: “That’s what happened to my mother. Anything else?”

Endeavour: “They say it could be that... or cardiac cirrhosis.”

(Joan strokes his hair.)

Joan: “See, I told you, you should slow down on your drinking.” (She smiles, and sniffles.) “The liver cleans the blood, and the blood goes through the heart. If there’s too much damage, you might...”

Endeavour (sighing, leaning his head back): “Boom.”

Joan: “Exactly. Boom. And no more you… and no more me.” (She rubs a hand on his arm.) 

Endeavour (stunned): “You’d actually, you’d…?”

Joan: “Well, I’ve thought about it. Believe me, I’ve thought about it.”

(Endeavour stares at her.)

Endeavour: “Do me a favor. Don’t.”

Joan: “How am I going to take care of this child, if you’re not here?” (Pause) “No father…”

(Endeavour closes his eyes for a few seconds. Then he opens them again.)

Joan: “Never mind. I always think too much.”

Endeavour: “You’re not the only one.”

Joan: “Well. Did the doctor say how long it would be before we can… you know?”

Endeavour: “Eight weeks.”

Joan: “Going to be a long two months.”

Endeavour: “Yeah.”

Joan: “That’ll be… after the baby comes.”

Endeavour: “Didn’t think about that.” (He smiles faintly.)

Joan: “Well.” (Pause) “Did you want me to call the church, and talk about, maybe in a few months…?”

Endeavour: “I’m not much for church.”

Joan: “Oh.” (She turns her head away for a moment.) “That changes things.”

Endeavour: “Oh?” (He looks puzzled.)

Joan: “Well, I wanted to have him or her baptized, when the time comes.”

Endeavour: “We can do that.”

Joan: “Not if one parent is not interested.”

Endeavour: “They don’t let you do that?”

Joan: “I don’t think of myself as a fanatic, but I do go.”

Endeavour: “Well.”

Joan: “You know, if they heard about you, that you’re – not interested – then why would they let us do anything else?”

Endeavour: “Don’t let that ruin things.”

Joan: “I don’t want to push you to convert. I don’t do that.”

Endeavour: “You invited me to sing at your church.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Well.” (She gets up.) “You don’t have to. I think I’ll go.”

Endeavour: “Hey. Give me a kiss.”

(She leans over the side of the bed, and kisses him. He grips the edge of her shirt, so that she can’t get away. The kiss lasts quite a few seconds. Afterward:)

Endeavour: “Well.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “I’ll see you.” (Her face is still glum.)

Endeavour: “Hey. Come here.”

Joan: “Gotta go.” (She starts to back away. He grabs her sleeve.)

Endeavour: “Uh-uh.”

Joan: “My father doesn’t want me. Don’t know what I’d do if you didn’t.”

Endeavour: “Didn’t he talk to you yet? He said he wanted to.”

Joan: “What are we? We’re back, we’re forth, we’re up, we’re down-” (She turns her head away and starts to cry.)

Endeavour: “Hey!” (He tugs her sleeve again.) 

Joan: “Everybody loves you. And they don’t love me.”

Endeavour: “What?” (He looks confused.)

Joan: “Go on, figure it out. Isn’t that what they pay you for?”

(She picks up her handbag.)

Endeavour: “Hey, hey!” 

(He holds out the little box with the engagement ring, but she is long gone out the door.)

(Endeavour watches the door for a moment. Then he drops the box on the side table, and rests his head on the pillow.)

 

Act Four, Scene Two

(The next day. At the station. About midday. Lewis is at his desk. He is going over his notes on the bow and arrow case. Jim walks up.)

Jim: “Got anything new?”

Lewis: “Yeah. I went back to the Records Office, and found something. It was scrawled on one of the deposit slips, from the bank. Charities have to file certain things, to stay in business.”

Jim: “Hmm?”

Lewis: “’Today, you shall be with me in Paradise.’ It’s from Luke, chapter 23, verse 43. Jesus says it to the good thief.”

Jim: “Yeah.”

Lewis: “Why would somebody want that on their notes from the bank? And why would they throw it away?”

Jim: “Inspirational, maybe?”

Lewis: “No. Fried made the deposit. And if he were thinking about sending somebody new to Paradise, well-”

Jim: “You think he was trying to comfort himself, over the thoughts that what he was doing was wrong?”

Lewis: “Could be. Or, he could think he’s the greatest thing since sliced butter, and be talking about himself.”

Jim: “Could be.”

Lewis: “We still haven’t found his secret girlfriend, if he has one.”

Jim: “Hmm. And I don’t think we’re going to, at this stage. He could have told her he was breaking it off, and she took a jet to France, or something.”

Lewis: “We’ll have to look at this one a little more, then.”

Jim: “Get yourself some lunch. Don’t want to think great thoughts on an empty stomach.”

Lewis: “Yeah. I’ll go.” (He gets up from the desk and puts on his summer vest.)

(He runs across the street, to a food shop. He places an order, and waits.)

(While he is waiting, a thought strikes him.)

(Lewis pays for his food, and rushes to leave the place. He goes back across the street, to a little bench in front of the station. He sits there and eats, while he thinks about his plan.)

 

Act Four, Scene Three

(Lewis goes back inside the station. He goes to his desk and opens the phone book.)

(He traces a finger over the lists of numbers. Finally, he comes to one he wants.)

Lewis: “Hello, is this the Oxford Archery Society?”

Clerk: “Yes, it is. How may I help you?”

Lewis: “This is DC Lewis of the Thames Valley Police. May I speak to your club president?”

Clerk: “Well, he’s not available, but I can take a message.”

Lewis: “Okay, please have him call me. It’s 555-0282.”

Clerk: “Thank you. I will do that.”

(Lewis gets a cup of water.)

(A few minutes later, the phone rings.)

Ostrowitz: “Hello, I’m calling for DC Lewis, please. Returning his message.”

Lewis: “Hello, it’s me. Thank you for calling me back. I’d like to speak to you about some of the members of your club.”

Ostrowitz: “Sure, ask me what you want.”

Lewis: “Did you ever have any disgruntled members of the club? Anybody who was arrested for anything?”

Ostrowitz: “Hmm, I don’t know. Can’t remember anybody.”

Lewis: “Would you mind if I came out to your facility and looked around?”

Ostrowitz: “Sure, I’ll be here until six this evening.”

Lewis: “Thank you. What is your street address?”

Ostrowitz: “551 Burler Street.”

Lewis: “Thank you. I’ll be there.”

Ostrowitz: “I look forward to meeting you.”

(Lewis hangs up.)

(He gets a department car out of the parking lot, and drives to the archery society.)

(Lewis parks and gets out. He looks over the targets, arranged in the yards. Then he spots somebody walking across the lot.)

Lewis: “Excuse me, can you help me? Where is the office?”

(The man points to a little trailer building. Lewis goes up and knocks on the door.)

Ostrowitz: “Hi, I’m Marius Ostrowitz. Can I help you?”

Lewis: “Yes, I’m DC Lewis. Good to meet you.” (He shows his police ID.)

Ostrowitz: “You as well. Did you want to sit inside?”

Lewis: “Yes.”

(They go into the office. Ostrowitz clears some papers off his desk.)

Ostrowitz: “Now, what did you want to know?”

Lewis: “Ah, did you have any members who have criminal records? We have a case of someone who’s been using a bow and arrow to kill people.”

Ostrowitz: “I know. I read about that in the paper.”

Lewis: “Can I get a look at your membership list?”

Ostrowitz: “Let me.” (He takes down a book and starts to read through the names.) “Membership fees are eight pounds a year. If you bring your own equipment, you save fifty pence.”

Lewis: “Ah.”

Ostrowitz: “Well, let’s see. Hmm… Currently, we have about fifty members. Lindy Harris, Walter Gales, Jan Shock…” (He flips through the book.) “Some of our members have won in tournaments.”

Lewis: “Congratulations.”

Ostrowitz: “Lindy won a bronze medal, and Walter-” (He leans over the book.) “Oh, boy. It looks like he injured somebody. Shot them in the arm.”

Lewis: “Oh, really?”

Ostrowitz: “Yeah, and he was given a charge for it. Actual bodily harm, which resulted in six months’ community service.”

Lewis: “Would you have his address?”

Ostrowitz: “Ah, let’s see… I have where he works.”

Lewis: “That’ll do.”

Ostrowitz: “488 Bulk Street. He’s a mechanic.”

Lewis: “Thank you. That will do.”

Ostrowitz: “Have a good day.”

Lewis: “You too.”

(Lewis walks out of the office and goes back to the car.)

(He drives to Gales’ workplace. He parks and gets out.)

(Lewis walks up to the front desk.)

Lewis: “I’m looking for a Mr. Walter Gales.” (He shows his police ID.)

Clerk: “Yeah, we’ve got him. Wait just a minute.” (He goes in the back of the shop, and quickly returns.) “I could have sworn he was back there. What did you need?”

Lewis: “We want to question him in regard to a case that we’re working on.”

Clerk: “Oh, did he do anything?” (He laughs.) “Dude’s been in trouble before.”

Lewis: “Oh, really?”

Clerk: “Yes. There was that time he shot a guy, at the archery contest. There’s a bunch of time he’s been arrested for drunk and disorderly. We hired him here because he begged for another chance. Can’t turn a guy down for trying to live.”

Lewis: “Anything else?”

Clerk: “Well, I can have him give you a call when he comes back.”

Lewis: “Yes, please do.” (He hands the clerk a business card.) “Thanks for your time.”

(Lewis walks out of the shop and back to his car. He drives to the station.)

 

Act Four, Scene Four

(Early evening. Joan is at her flat. The stereo is playing the song ‘Froggy Went A-Courtin,’ by Odetta. Joan is sweeping the floor, into a dustbin. There is a knock on her door.)

(It’s Morse.)

Joan: “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in the hospital right now?”

Endeavour: “No, they let me out. Something about saving the NHS some money.”

Joan: “Well, damn. Come in.” 

(He walks in. Joan shuts the door.)

Joan: “Aren’t you tired? Did you take all your medicine today?”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

Joan: “Well, sit down, I’ll get you something to eat.” (She walks into the kitchen. Minutes later, she comes back with a plate of cheese and crackers.)

Endeavour: “Can I have a drink? My throat’s awful dry.”

Joan: “All I’ve got is grape juice. I’m doing the shopping tomorrow.”

Endeavour: “That’ll do.” (He starts to eat the crackers. She comes back with the juice.)

(Joan takes a seat on a chair across from him.)

Joan: “Don’t tell me you’re going back to work tomorrow. You can’t possibly manage that. You had a major heart attack.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “Good. I don’t want to lose you.”

(He smiles, and eats some more crackers.)

Joan: “Well, I’m going back to work on Monday.”

Endeavour: “So am I.”

Joan: “No! It’s too soon.”

Endeavour: “I’ve got to help Lewis with his case.”

Joan: “Jim or someone can help him. You should stay home.”

Endeavour: “No.”

Joan: “Stubborn little gent, aren’t you.” (She smiles faintly.) “I’ll shut off the stereo.”

Endeavour: “No, I want to hear it.”

Joan: “Really?” (Pause) “All right.”

(She gets up and puts on the TV. They watch a movie, about vampires. It’s called ‘Gouts of Blood.’)

(He gets up and moves to the couch, inviting her to follow him, with a wave. She sits next to him.)

Endeavour: “How’s the, ah, little dividend?”

Joan: “Busy. Lots of kicking today.”

Endeavour: “Let me.” (He reaches out and touches her belly.) “I can’t get over it. Makes me feel so – old.” 

(Joan laughs.)

Joan: “It’s just starting.” (She points to the TV.) “This one has… well, no one special. The music is halfway decent, though.”

Endeavour: “Hmm.”

(She leans against his shoulder. The opening credits of the movie play on the TV. A vampire bat flies across the screen.)

Endeavour (smiling): “I’m scared already.”

(Joan smiles.)

Endeavour: “So, ah...” (He sits up, and takes the ring box out of his pocket.) “I brought you this.”

Joan: “Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t take it from you yesterday.”

Endeavour: “You have it now.”

Joan: “My father won’t like to see me wearing that again.”

Endeavour: “But I will.”

(She takes out the ring and puts it back on.)

Joan: “Feels better.”

Endeavour: “Much better.” (He kisses her.)

(They watch more of the movie. Then it goes to a commercial break.)

Endeavour: “Nice flat. A little bigger than your last one.”

Joan: “Dad picked a good one for me.” (She frowns.)

Endeavour: “Don’t worry. He’ll come around, sooner or later.”

Joan: “I suppose.”

(She shudders as she leans into his shoulder again.)

Endeavour: “What was that?”

Joan: “What?”

Endeavour: “Just now.”

Joan: “Ah – it’s nothing.”

Endeavour: “Tell me.”

Joan: “I was just thinking of the way things used to be. A long time ago.”

Endeavour: “Oh?”

Joan: “There is a part of the story I never told you.”

(Endeavour frowns.)

Joan: “Once upon a time, there was this girl. She was frightened. She left home.”

Endeavour (pause): “Go on.”

Joan: “And she met this man in a pub. He bought her quite a number of drinks. She… went home with him...”

(Endeavour stares. She continues.)

Joan: “He put her up in a flat. She felt free, like she was finally going to start on a new life. But the man would get mad, scream at her. He got angry over every little thing. And he began hitting her almost every day.”

(He winces.)

Joan: “He would do it in places no one could see, if she were dressed. Like her arms, or her stomach. And then, one day, when she asked for some help with the light bill, he hit her in the face.”

(Endeavour pulls her close and kisses her on the hair. He is beginning to sniffle.)

Joan: “And finally she walked out, if only briefly. Now, she had been letting him not use any protection, because he said it felt better. And she knew she was expecting a child. So she went to tell him, and-”

Endeavour: “Don’t.”

Joan: “You know the rest.”

(He takes deep breaths.)

Endeavour: “I’ve got to-” (He runs to the bathroom. She can hear him getting sick.)

(Minutes later, he comes out, having rinsed his mouth. He sits on the couch again.)

Joan: “I guess you and I were never single at the same time.”

Endeavour: “Until last year.”

Joan (smiling slightly): “Thank God.”

Endeavour: “Yes.” 

(He puts an arm around her shoulder and pulls her close again.)

Endeavour: “It’ll be all right. Really, it will.”

(She sniffles for a couple minutes. Then she turns her face toward him again.)

(They kiss.)

Endeavour (voice husky): “Tell me. Is this all right?”

(He kisses her on the neck.)

Endeavour: “And is this-?”

(He goes to kiss her again. There is a knock at the door.)

(Joan gets up and answers it. It’s her father.)

Joan: “Dad.”

Thursday: “May I come in?”

Joan: “Sure.”

(She pulls back the door. Her father walks in. Endeavour stands up.)

Endeavour: “Hello, sir.”

Thursday (to Endeavour): “Evening. I’m here to take you home.” (He then faces his daughter.) “And to say a few things to you.”

Joan: “Yes?”

Endeavour: “I’ll just, ah, go in the other room...” (He walks into the bedroom, and sits down on the bed. He takes a book off the shelf, and looks it over: ‘The Photography of Ansel Adams.’)

(Camera goes back to the living room.)

Thursday: “I’ve been thinking that the two of you could very easily live in this flat.”

Joan (slowly): “You mean it?”

Thursday: “Yes. And I could help you with a few things. Ah, you see-” (He rubs the end of his nose.) “Since your mother died, I’ve been thinking things over. And getting many of them wrong.”

(Joan dips her head slightly.)

Thursday: “I want to see my grandchild. My first.” (He smiles a little.) “I would like us to be together again, if you don’t mind.”

Joan: “All right, Dad.”

(She hugs him. He pats her on the back. Then he steps back.)

Thursday (calling out): “Son?”

(Endeavour walks out of the bedroom. He is carrying the book.)

Endeavour (to Joan): “Can I borrow this?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Thanks. We’ll be going.”

Joan: “Will you come back?”

Endeavour: “Of course. I have some things to take care of. But next week, for sure.”

(Her father waves goodbye. He and Endeavour walk out.)

(Joan shuts off the TV and stereo, and goes to her room, to sleep.)

 

Act Four, Scene Five

(Friday of that week. Lewis is working at his desk.)

(Endeavour walks in.)

Lewis: “What the hell? Who told you to come in?”

Endeavour: “The sunrise.”

Lewis: “Crimony pete! When I did that before, it nearly cost me my health!” 

Endeavour: “Never you worry.”

Lewis: “Well – I’ve been working on the case, and I think I’ve got a suspect.”

Endeavour: “Tell me.”

Lewis: “There’s a mechanic, Walter Gales, who’s been in trouble a few times. Shot a man during an archery contest.”

Endeavour: “Yes?”

Lewis: “I think MP Fried may have paid him to do the shootings. Would have washed him clean of responsibility and proof. Made it look like it was just some crazy person.”

Endeavour: “Did we ever get the fingerprints back from the arrows at the scenes?”

Lewis: “Yes. All traceable to Walter. Dumb son-of-a-gun forgot to wear gloves.”

Endeavour: “Then let’s go with a warrant.”

Lewis: “But how do we trace it back to Fried? He’s presented himself to the media as a grieving widower. Even evidence won’t help crack the frame, necessarily.”

Endeavour: “Can we just talk to Fried, and worry about charges later?”

Lewis: “Yeah. That’ll have to do. Only, I can’t find Walter Gales. He ran off the other day. Who knows where he is right now.”

Endeavour: “He goes on the back burner for now.”

Lewis: “Right. I’ll call Fried’s office and see if we can’t get an appointment.”

(Lewis picks up the phone at his desk. He dials the MP’s office.)

Nathan: “Hello, MP Fried’s office, how may I direct your call?”

Lewis: “Hello, this is DC Lewis with the Thames Valley Police. I would like to schedule an interview with the MP.”

Nathan: “Let’s see, he’s all wrapped up this afternoon-”

(There is some yelling in the background.)

Nathan: “But, sir-” (Pause) “I would-” (Pause) “Okay. Ah, you can come in this afternoon. Around three. Thank you.”

Lewis: “Yes. Thank you. I’ll be there.” (He hangs up.) “Three o’clock today. Bastard’s making us wait.”

Endeavour: “At least we’ve got a time.”

Lewis: “Yeah, better than nothing.”

(Cut to: three o’clock rolls around. Lewis stands up.)

Lewis: “We have to go.”

(Endeavour gets up and puts on his jacket.)

Lewis: “Say, why do you wear that great big coat this time of year? Don’t you have anything lighter?”

Endeavour (pause): “No.”

Lewis (shrugs): “Okay.”

(The two of them get in the car. Endeavour drives to the MP’s office. They walk up to the front desk.)

Lewis: “Hello.” (They show their police IDs.) “I called before about talking to the MP this afternoon.”

Nathan: “Yes. Right this way, please.”

(He walks with the detectives, down to a small office. It is empty except for some phones and chairs. Endeavour and Lewis sit down. The clerk walks back to his desk.)

Lewis: “This feels like school.”

Endeavour (smiling a little): “Yes.”

(Philip Fried walks in. He shuts the door behind him.)

Fried: “Let’s get this over with. What do you need to know?” (Fried is a tall, stocky person in his late forties. He walks over to stand behind his desk.)

Lewis: “Sir, we’ve got some questions about the murder of your wife, and five other people.”

Fried: “Yes.”

Lewis: “Have you ever had anyone work for you who became disgruntled and exhibited some unusual behavior?”

Fried: “Yes, every week. Why?”

Lewis (pause): “Well, we’re looking for the person who may have done the murders. If you knew anyone like that, it could help us a great deal.”

Fried: “You’re the ones who know how to do police work. Get out of my office.”

Lewis: “But, sir-”

(Fried claps his hands. The clerk comes back in.)

Nathan: “Sorry, gentlemen.”

(The detectives both stand, and walk back to the front room.)

Lewis: “What was that all about?”

Nathan: “He’s like that sometimes.”

Endeavour: “But if we don’t get the information, we likely can’t solve the case. His wife was one of the victims.”

Nathan: “Ah, you don’t know everything. Especially about home.”

(The detectives glance at each other. Then they look back at the clerk.)

Endeavour: “Really?”

Nathan (in a low voice): “Oh, boy. Can I talk to you later?”

Lewis: “Yes. Here’s my card.” (He hands the young man a business card.)

Nathan: “I’ll try and call you later.”

Lewis: “Thank you.”

Nathan: “Goodbye now.”

Lewis: “Goodbye.”

(The detectives walk outside. They go back to the car and get in.)

Endeavour: “What was all that about?”

Lewis: “They do things differently.”

Endeavour: “Yes. Different investments, different murders...”

Lewis: “Let’s go back to the station and start on our reports. We can talk to the young fellow tomorrow.”

Endeavour: “Good.” (He drives off.)

(Cut to: Later that afternoon, the detectives sit at their desks and work on their reports. Lewis taps his papers on his desk and puts them in an envelope.)

Lewis: “I’m finished.”

Endeavour: “You win.”

Lewis: “Hope that kid calls in.”

(Endeavour turns up the radio. Lewis eats from a packet of crisps.)

(In a few minutes, the phone rings.)

Lewis: “Hello?”

Nathan: “Yes, this is Nathan.”

Lewis: “Thank you for calling. You said you had something more to tell us? Where are you now? Are you at home?”

Nathan: “No, I’m at a public call box.”

Lewis: “Well, fire away.”

Nathan: “The wife had filed for separation two years ago. Mr. Fried had kept it out of the papers by attempting to strangle her on a regular basis.”

Lewis: “What?”

Nathan: “He was not the most kind of men. He would choke her and then just… let go.” (Pause) “You got it?”

Lewis: “I think so.” (He reaches for a notepad and starts to write things down.)

Nathan: “One day, she got tired, and said she was moving out of the house. He had her followed.”

Lewis: “By Walter Giles?”

Nathan: “Yes. Giles was going to shoot her first, but Fried said to get the cricket players first.”

Lewis: “I don’t understand.”

Nathan: “We’re up to about a year before the shootings. Fried had a friend inside the bank. When the group of people started to donate to his charity, he took their account numbers and stole from them.”

Lewis: “That’s devious.”

Nathan: “He stole only a few pounds at first. Then more.”

Lewis: “Mm-hmm.”

Nathan: “Then he took huge amounts. When the people realized this, they got together and tried to sue him. I say ‘tried’ because he was good at tying up lawsuits in paperwork.”

Lewis: “Ah.”

Nathan: “A couple people got killed as just witnesses. You know, that lady at the auto parts store. And Mr. Jason Turrell, my predecessor in this job.”

Lewis: “You don’t say.”

Nathan: “I hear Mr. Fried ranting and mumbling, when he thinks I’m not listening. I’ve got to go now, Mr. Lewis. My-”

(Lewis hears loud thumps on the other end of the line. The call goes silent.)

Lewis: “Come on, pick up.” 

(Endeavour looks at him curiously.)

Lewis: “Come on!” (He slaps the desk. Then he hangs up.) “Can we get them to trace the call?”

Endeavour: “I think so.”

(Lewis gets up and runs down the hall, to the communications department.)

Lewis: “I need you to trace a call. It’s from Nathan Wolf. He was at a public phone box.”

PC: “It’ll take at least a few hours.”

Lewis: “But there’s not even anybody else here.”

PC: “The next shift comes in soon.”

Lewis: “The man who called me may not have that much time.”

PC: “That’s as may be.”

Lewis (getting angry): “You have to help me!”

PC: “I’ll do what I can. Were you on the line at your desk?”

Lewis: “Yes, I was.”

PC: “We’ll start a trace. Sign this.” (He holds out a piece of paperwork to Lewis. The man signs it.) “Thank you. We’ll be done as soon as we can.”

Lewis (grumbling): “Thank you.”

(He turns around and walks out the door to the parking lot. Endeavour follows.)

Lewis: “Where are we going? Where are we going?” (He kicks the ground.) “He didn’t tell me what street he was on. I didn’t ask. Oh, shit.” (He slaps his forehead.)

Endeavour: “They can trace it.”

Lewis: “It is not going to be in time! Shit, I got somebody killed!” (He repeatedly kicks the floor.) “What do they tell you at the academy? Always ask questions, and take notes. I didn’t ask!” 

Endeavour: “I’m sure they’ll find him.”

Lewis: “Well, we can’t.” (He paces back and forth.) “Should we take the car and look for him?”

Endeavour: “Not until we have a location.”

Lewis: “Ahhh.” (He puts a hand on his forehead again.)

(After a minute, he opens the door and rushes back inside the building. Endeavour follows him.)

(WPC Charlotte McGuire is standing in the hallway by everybody’s work stations.)

McGuire: “There’s been a body found bludgeoned half to death, next to a phone booth, on Capers Street.”

Lewis: “Shit!” (He leans his hands on his desk, and hyperventilates.)

Endeavour: “You okay?” (He puts a hand on Lewis’ back.)

Lewis: “Ah, fuck!”

McGuire: “Did you need help?”

Lewis: “I caused – I caused the-”

Endeavour: “No. Fried could have had him followed anyway.”

McGuire: “What’s this?”

(There is a pause as both detectives look at each other.)

Lewis: “I was talking to a witness on the phone. He said he was at a phone booth. I didn’t ask him what street he was on. I think he was the man who was beaten tonight.”

McGuire: “Good Lord.”

Lewis: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “We can try and get a warrant for Fried. As for Wolf, maybe they can save him at the hospital. When he gets out, we can hope he’ll be in a state to give evidence.”

Lewis: “Hope?” (He stares at Endeavour.)

 

Act Five, Scene One

(The next day. Toward the end of shift.)

(Lewis sits in the canteen and stares at his sandwich and drink.)

(Endeavour walks in.)

Endeavour: “They arrested Fried. They’re looking for Giles. Wolf is at the hospital. Multiple injuries. He won’t be able to talk to us for a few days. But at least he’s alive.”

Lewis: “Wondered why Giles beat him, instead of shot him.”

Endeavour: “I guess we’ll find out. We’re not even sure it’s Giles, at this point.”

Lewis: “It’ll be him.”

Endeavour (raising his eyebrows): “All right. What’ve you got there?”

Lewis: “Something I’ll probably eat later.”

Endeavour: “Get a box.” (He smiles.)

(Lewis looks up.)

Lewis: “Why are you so happy? We lost the case.”

Endeavour: “It didn’t even go to trial yet.”

(Lewis pushes the heel of a palm into an eye.)

Lewis: “Not that way. A man nearly died because I didn’t think to ask him three words. ‘Where are you?’”

Endeavour: “That’s not why things happen.”

Lewis: “Don’t get all mystical on me.” (He sighs.)

Endeavour: “Look, I’ll… drive you home.”

(Lewis gets up, and wraps his sandwich in a serviette. The two of them walk back to their desks to get their coats. Then they go to the parking lot.)

(They walk up to Endeavour’s car. Another car pulls up next to them. Jim is behind the wheel. Marcia is in the passenger seat, and Joan is in the back.)

Jim: “Hey. We were all going to go to get dinner at Matacan. Do you want to follow us?”

Endeavour: “Ah – sure.” (He looks at Joan.) “What are you doing here?”

Joan: “I took the bus over, with Marcia, after we were done with work.”

Endeavour: “Well, all right.”

Lewis: “I already ate.”

Endeavour: “No, you didn’t. You can put the sandwich in your fridge, and come out with us.” (He smiles. He turns to face Jim.) “Ah, he’s got to drop off something at his flat, and then he’s coming along.”

Lewis: “I want to get some sleep.”

Endeavour (frowning): “Really?” (He blinks, and turns back to Jim.) “All right, I’ll drop him off and then we’ll go out.”

Jim: “Yeah.” (He pulls into traffic.)

(Endeavour drives to Lewis’ flat. He drops him off.)

Endeavour: “Take your sandwich.” (He smiles.)

Lewis: “Yeah.” (He gets out, and puts a hand on the car door.) “I won’t get charged with neglect, will I?”

Endeavour: “No. Eat your dinner, and get some rest.”

Lewis: “Thanks.” (He walks into his flat.)

(Endeavour starts to follow Jim toward the restaurant.)

(Camera moves up to Jim’s car.)

Jim: “And then he said, ‘Anyone care to walk the giraffe?’”

(The women laugh.)

Joan: “Could you put on the news?”

Jim: “Sure.” (He turns the radio to the BBC.) 

Announcer: “A fire took place in Hillside this evening. There were no injuries, but the building was a loss.”

Marcia: “Shame, that.”

Jim: “If it’s all the same to you both, I’d like to hear some tunes.”

Marcia: “Go ahead.”

(He turns the radio to a rock station. It’s playing ‘I Don’t Live Today,’ by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jim hums along.)

Marcia: “Did you see-”

(At that moment, the car is passing through an intersection.)

(Out of nowhere, a car comes barreling through the cross street, bashes into the passenger side of the car, and wobbles away. The driver barely pauses, and speeds on.)

(Jim’s car is crushed by the impact. He leans over the steering wheel. He cannot see.)

(Cut to: Endeavour stares in shock. Quickly, he puts on the brakes. Then he hits the gas again, pulling up at the curbside, next to Jim’s car. He shuts off the ignition and gets out.)

Endeavour: “Oh, God. Oh, God.” (He looks up, and sees a person running out of a store on the corner of the nearby street.) “Call an ambulance! Call an ambulance!”

Man: “Yes, yes.” (The man runs back into the store to make the call.)

(Endeavour pulls the driver’s side door.)

(Inside the car, Jim begins to regain consciousness. He blinks and looks around.)

Jim: “Marcia?”

(His eyes open wide. Marcia is leaning over, her neck at an angle. She has many broken bones. She is not moving.)

(Jim begins to hyperventilate.)

(Cut to: Minutes later. Three ambulances and two police cars pull up. The EMTs jump out and start to attend to the crash victims.)

(Endeavour stands across the street. Two police officers are with him. The others wait to examine the car.)

Endeavour: “You have to let me see her. You have to let me see her.” (He paces back and forth.) “And I have to call Mr. Thursday.”

PC: “We have to wait, sir. We’ll get to it.”

Endeavour: “No! Let me see-”

(The EMTs help extract Joan from the car. Her face is twisted in pain. She limps. There appears to be water running down her legs.)

(Endeavour tries to run toward her. The officers grab his arms.)

PC: “Sir, I’m sorry, you can’t go right now.”

Endeavour: “You have to let me-”

(They pull him back to the sidewalk. There are tears in his eyes.)

(The EMTs help Joan get on a stretcher.)

(The crew from another ambulance helps Jim get out of the car. They place him on a stretcher. His face appears to be deadened with shock.)

(The EMTs from the third ambulance help remove Marcia’s body from the car. They check her for vital signs.)

(After a couple minutes, they stop. A worker pulls the sheet over her head.)

PC: “Come with us, sir.”

Endeavour: “Who’s going to get my car?”

PC: “Someone will take care of it, sir. This way, please.”

(The two of them walk with Endeavour, back to one of the patrol cars. They put him in the back seat. He leans against the side door and begins to weep in earnest.)

 

Act Five, Scene Two

(The next morning. In the small hours. At St. Daniel’s Hospital.)

(Endeavour sits in the waiting room. He looks down.)

(Thursday walks up.)

Thursday: “They just called me. What the hell happened?”

Endeavour (slowly, still looking at the floor): “I was following them, to go to a restaurant. This car came speeding through the intersection. It hit their car. I wasn’t touched.”

(Thursday holds out his hands. Endeavour gets up. Thursday hugs him.)

Thursday: “You’ve had a terrible day. Did someone pick up your car?”

Endeavour: “The PCs who came to the scene said they were going to take care of it.”

Thursday: “Well, I can go and see.”

(He goes over to the front desk, to talk to the nurse. He is there a few minutes. Then he comes back.)

Thursday: “They took the car to this hospital. It should be out front.”

Endeavour (quietly): “Thank you. Do you know what happened to-?” (He trails off.)

Thursday: “Jim is in the operating room. Joan is-” (He gulps.) “Joan is in labor.”

Endeavour: “What?” (He stares.)

Thursday: “Yes. And Marcia-” (He pauses.) “She didn’t make it.”

Endeavour: “What?” (He shakes his head.) “No. Tell me it isn’t-”

Thursday: “I’m sorry.”

Endeavour (pause): “Does Jim know?”

Thursday: “I don’t think so. Not yet.”

(Endeavour groans. He drops his head.)

Endeavour: “I’m not myself. I need to be distracted.”

Thursday: “It’ll be a while. Let’s get something to eat.”

(They walk down to the cafeteria.)

(Cut to: A few hours later. Endeavour and Thursday have returned to the waiting room. Endeavour has fallen asleep in his chair. Thursday is watching the TV.)

(An announcement comes over the system.)

Announcer: “Dr. Jackson, to the delivery room. Dr. Jackson, to the delivery room.”

(Thursday taps Endeavour on the arm.)

Endeavour: “What-”

(He blinks, and wakes up.)

Thursday: “Come on, son. I’ll see whether Jim is out of surgery yet.”

(He gets up and walks to the front desk. He talks to the nurse for a few minutes. Then he comes back.)

Thursday: “Yes, they say he’s in recovery. It’ll be at least ‘til tomorrow before he’s allowed to speak to anyone.”

Endeavour: “And Joan?”

Thursday: “Still in labor.” (He scratches the back of his neck.) “I think perhaps we should both go home and get some rest. Unless you want to wait.”

Endeavour: “It’s my first child.”

Thursday: “I know. We can have them call us at home.”

Endeavour: “Ah-” (He hesitates.) “We don’t have anything ready for the baby at home. I was thinking we’d be waiting another two months. No diapers, no crib, no anything.”

Thursday: “I know. You want to be here. But come home. I’ll have them call us as soon as the time is near. And I can get most things at a store, pretty quickly.”

Endeavour: “All right.”

(The two of them walk to the front desk. Thursday addresses the nurse.)

Thursday: “Miss, we’re going home. I would like you to call us as soon as patient Joan Thursday is ready. She’s in labor right now.”

Nurse: “Yes, I can do that.” 

Thursday: “Here’s my number.” (He writes it down and hands it to her.)

Nurse: “Thank you.” 

Thursday: “Goodbye now.”

(The two walk out to the parking lot. Endeavour gets in his own car.)

(Cut to: They both drive up and park in front of Thursday’s house. They go in.)

Endeavour: “I’m so tired.”

Thursday: “Go rest, son. I’ll get you when they call.”

Endeavour: “Right.” (He walks into Joan’s room and shuts the door. He takes off his shirt and slacks, crawls under the sheets, and barely shuts his eyes before he is asleep.)

(Cut to: Hours later. The phone rings. Thursday wakes up, and picks up the phone.)

Thursday: “Hello?” (Pause) “Yes? Okay. We’ll come in. Thank you.” (He hangs up the phone and hurries to get dressed.)

(Then, he walks down to Joan’s room and knocks on the door.)

Thursday: “Son? Wake up. It’s time to go.”

(Endeavour wakes up and puts on his clothes.)

Endeavour: “I’m ready.”

(Thursday walks with him, down to the car.) 

Thursday: “We’ll take mine. Try to relax. It’s going to be what it’s going to be.”

(Endeavour pulls on his ear and makes a noncommittal noise. He gets in the passenger side.)

(They arrive at the hospital, and walk up to the front desk.)

Thursday: “We’re here to see a patient, Joan Thursday. She should be in delivery.”

Nurse: “Just a moment. Ah yes, room B-24. Down that way.” (She points down a hall. The men begin to walk.)

(They approach the door. They can hear other people talking from within.)

Thursday: “Guess we’re supposed to go in here.” (He points to the waiting room. They walk in and sit down.)

Endeavour: “Been a long couple of days.”

Thursday: “It must seem that way. I’m sorry about Marcia.”

Endeavour: “Jim won’t like it, when he hears it. If he hasn’t already.”

Thursday: “I know. Want me to put on the TV?”

Endeavour: “Please.”

(They watch a documentary about tanks.)

Thursday: “Friend of mine drove one of those...”

(Cut to: In the delivery room.)

(Joan lies on the hospital bed. A nurse stands at her feet. The doctor is by her side.)

(She looks pale and frightened.)

Joan: “It’s already been some hours. How much longer?”

Audrey: “It takes as long as it takes.”

Epstein: “Come on. Get ready to push.”

Audrey: “When I say so. Ready? One, two, three. Push.”

(Joan does so.)

Audrey: “It’s a breech birth. I see the feet first.”

Joan: “No.”

Epstein: “It’ll be fine. Wait a minute. Then push again.”

Audrey: “Okay, ready? Wait, and… push.”

Joan: “Ah-”

Audrey: “Okay. A little more.”

Joan (murmuring): “No...”

(She rolls her head back and forth.)

Audrey: “Hold on now. I see...”

Joan: “I’m so afraid.”

Epstein: “You’re doing fine.”

(Cut to: In the waiting room.)

(Endeavour stretches out his legs.)

(Thursday gets up and goes to the snack machine. He comes back.)

Thursday: “Want something?” (He holds out a packet of pretzels.)

Endeavour (shaking his head): “I just want for this to be over. And for Joan to be okay.”

Thursday: “Settled on a name yet?” (He smiles.)

Endeavour: “Well, we’ve got one for a boy. None for a girl yet.”

Thursday: “Hmm.” (He opens the pretzels and begins to eat.) “Is Linda still popular?”

Endeavour: “Don’t know.”

Thursday: “Got that book with you?”

Endeavour: “No.”

Thursday: “Hmm.”

Endeavour: “I wish… that the child could meet his grandmother.”

Thursday: “Believe me, I do too.”

Endeavour: “My parents, they both...”

(Thursday pats him on the shoulder.)

Thursday: “Take it easy, son.”

Endeavour (quietly): “You’re not my father.”

Thursday: “What?” (He looks puzzled.)

(Cut to: The delivery room.)

Audrey: “Come on. One more push.”

Epstein: “Almost done.”

(Joan is crying and sweating.)

Audrey: “Just one more!”

Epstein: “Now push!”

Audrey: “Push!”

(Joan strives one more time.)

(The baby’s head emerges.)

Audrey: “We’ve got it! All right! It’s a boy.”

Epstein: “Congratulations.”

(Joan cries.)

Audrey: “You’re finished. Magnificent job.”

Joan: “Oh my God.”

Audrey: “Relax. It’s over.”

Epstein: “Does someone want to tell the father?”

Audrey: “Go and check in the waiting room.”

(Fern cuts the umbilical cord, cleans out the baby’s passages, and washes the child. She puts on a little diaper and wraps him in a blanket.)

Audrey: “Here, hold him.” (She smiles, and hands the child over to Joan.)

(Joan smiles, and gently bounces the baby.)

(Epstein walks out into the hall. He crosses into the waiting room.)

Epstein: “Excuse me.”

(Endeavour and Thursday both look up.)

Epstein: “Anyone know a Joan Thursday?”

(They both raise their hands.)

Thursday: “I’m her father.”

Epstein: “She had a boy. Congratulations.” (He walks out of the room.)

(Endeavour stands up. Thursday hugs him.)

Thursday: “There you go!”

(Endeavour laughs.)

Thursday: “Let’s go.” (He nods toward the corridor. They walk out.)

(Endeavour sees the nurse in the hall.)

Endeavour: “Can we go in?”

Audrey: “I don’t think-”

(Endeavour and Thursday walk in.)

Endeavour: “Hi.” (He smiles.)

Joan: “Come see.”

(Both men walk over.)

(Endeavour leans over, stunned. He starts to tear up.)

Endeavour: “Son.”

(He kisses the little boy on his forehead.)

(The baby wiggles and cries.)

Thursday: “That’s my boy.”

Joan: “Hey, Grandpa.”

Thursday: “I wish your mother could have been here.”

Joan: “I know.” (She kisses the boy.)

Thursday: “I have to get you a crib.”

Joan: “Where are we going to live?”

Thursday: “Your new flat seems the right size.”

Joan: “Thank you, Dad.”

Endeavour: “Did they weigh him?”

Joan: “Yes. Just over three and a half kilos.”

Endeavour: “He’s got my eyes.”

Joan: “And your hair.”

Thursday: “He’s perfect.”

Joan: “When are they letting me check out?”

Thursday: “I’ll see.”

(Endeavour laughs.)

Endeavour: “Somebody get a camera.”

Thursday: “We didn’t bring one. We can take plenty of pictures at home.”

Endeavour: “Okay.” (He smiles. He brushes the boy’s head, and whispers:) “Today, you shall be with me in Paradise.” 

 

Act Five, Scene Three

(Later in the day. Joan is allowed to check out. The family go to the front desk to do the paperwork. Then they walk out into the parking lot.)

(Thursday takes the wheel. Joan, Endeavour, and the baby sit in the back seat.)

Endeavour: “Hey, hey!” (He tickles the baby under the chin.)

Thursday (to Joan): “You must be tired.”

Joan: “Yes.”

Thursday: “Did they give you any medication to take?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Thursday: “Take it when you get home.”

Joan: “Yes, Dad.”

Endeavour: “So… Joseph Matthew?”

Joan (smiling): “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Let me.” (He reaches out his hands. Joan gives him the baby.) “Hey, little fella.” (He smiles.) 

Joan: “The world’s newest policeman.”

Endeavour: “Well, he’s got time. Let him figure it out.” (He kisses the baby’s forehead.)

Thursday: “We have to get a lot of things. A crib, some clothing, a couple of toys… I bought some diapers. They’re at home.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

Endeavour: “Where’s he going to sleep?”

Thursday: “Well, I’ll buy the crib later today. Shouldn’t take long to set it up. We can put it in the side room at Joan’s flat.”

Joan: “That’ll be good.”

Thursday: “I’ll drop you two there. I’m sure you have a – lot of catching up to do.”

Joan (blushing): “Dad!” (She smiles.)

(Cut to: Thursday pulls up at Joan’s. He lets the others out.)

Thursday: “I’m going to a charity shop. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

Joan: “Thank you.”

(Joan opens the door. They walk in.)

(Endeavour hands Joan the baby. He switches on a portable fan. Joan sits down and throws back her head.)

Joan: “Ohh.” (She shivers.)

Endeavour: “Excuse me.”

(He heads for the restroom. Minutes later, he comes out.)

(He yawns and stretches, and takes a seat close to Joan.)

Endeavour: “If you want me to call the church, ah… I can.”

Joan: “Well.” (Pause) “That would be good.”

Endeavour: “Let’s get this right.”

(He smiles, and puts on the stereo, to a classical station. They talk, and laugh, and play with the baby.)

(Cut to: Thursday arrives home. He has a crib with him.)

Thursday: “I’m here!” 

Joan: “Thanks, Dad.” 

(Thursday and Endeavour bring the crib into the guest room. They spend several minutes setting it up.)

(Joan walks with the baby into the kitchen. She takes out some chocolate chip biscuits.)

Joan (looking in on the men): “If you want, there’s biscuits.”

Thursday: “And lemonade?”

Joan: “I’ll get some.” (She goes back to the kitchen.)

(Endeavour wipes his forehead. He is trying to fix a loose slat in the side of the crib.)

Thursday: “Almost done.” (He tightens a screw on the crib.) “Done!”

(They both straighten up.) 

Thursday: “Congratulations.” (He squeezes Endeavour’s shoulder. Endeavour beams.) “You’re going to be a good father.”

Endeavour (blushing): “Yeah, I’ll try.”

Thursday: “Come on, let’s eat biscuits.”

(They sit in the kitchen.)

Endeavour (to Joan): “Are you going to go back to work?”

Joan: “Well, they allow up to two months for maternity leave.”

Endeavour: “I wonder if I can file for anything.”

Thursday: “Could be.”

(Camera pulls back to show the family, talking and eating and watching the baby.)

(Cut to: a few hours later. Thursday gets up to leave.)

Thursday: “Well, I’m off. Thank you for making me a grandfather.” (He kisses Joan on the forehead.)

Endeavour (smiling): “What about me?”

Thursday: “You too.” (He squeezes Endeavour’s shoulder.) “Later this week, we can get him some toys.”

Joan: “I’d like that.”

Thursday: “Bye now.” (He walks out.)

(Joan takes the baby and walks into the side room. She puts him in the crib. The crib is padded with soft cushions, and has a small pillow.)

Joan: “No mobile for tonight, son.”

(Endeavour puts a hand on her shoulder.)

(They watch the child for a few minutes. Then:)

Joan: “Did we eat?”

Endeavour: “Ah, not since this morning.” (He tips his head toward the kitchen.) “Gotta eat.” (He smiles.)

(They quickly assemble two sandwiches and eat at the kitchen table. He goes to the fridge, gets a soda pop, and drinks it straight off.)

(Then, they walk back to the side room, and watch the baby.)

Joan: “I have to call the library. Did you call the station?”

Endeavour: “I will.”

(Joan dials the library.)

Joan: “Hello, can I speak to the manager?… He’s not in? Tell him… tell him I’m an assistant clerk. I’ll be taking off two months for maternity leave. Yes, I’m that Joan. Thank you.” (She hangs up, and sighs.) “I didn’t have the heart to tell the clerk that Marcia passed away. It’s all so… new.”

Endeavour (nodding): “They, ah, they might learn from the obituaries tomorrow.” (He frowns.)

Joan: “Yes.” 

(Endeavour calls the station.) 

Endeavour: “Hello, this is DS Morse. Let me speak to the duty sergeant.” (Pause) “Hello. I’m going to need to take two months off for-” (Pause) “Well, she just had a baby.” (Pause) “Of course it is. What kind of a-” (Pause) “All right. All right. Thank you.” (He hangs up the phone, and fumes.) 

Joan: “What happened?”

Endeavour: “He didn’t want to approve me. He said they might not pay me for part of the time off.”

Joan: “Call my father in the morning. He’ll straighten them out.”

Endeavour: “Yes?”

Joan: “You may have to go in and fill out a piece of paper. But they’ll give you the time. It’s an excellent opportunity to show off our little mite.”

Endeavour (smiles): “Well, yes.”

(She gets up and walks into her room. She flips on a lamp.)

Joan: “Could use some decorations around here.”

Endeavour: “Maybe.” 

(She turns back to him. He looks in her eyes.)

Endeavour: “Well?”

Joan: “Well.”

(He walks up to her. She puts her fingers on his lips.)

(Gently, he pushes them out of the way, and kisses her.)

(She backs up toward the bed. He puts his hands on her waist, and moves them up.)

(Cut to: They move under the covers. Tonight is chaotic.)

(A considerable amount of time goes by.)

(Then, he lies beside her, arms stretched out, and pants. She raises her arms above her head.)

(He looks at her. She puts a hand on his cheek.)

(Cut to: Later on, they sleep, under the moonlight coming through the blinds.) 

 

Act Five, Scene Four

(The next day. In the hospital. In Jim’s room. Jim lies flat in bed.)

(The door opens. Endeavour and Joan walk in.)

(Jim wakes up.)

Jim: “Where… oh, what the hell...”

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Joan: “Hi.”

Jim: “Did the two of you – did you-”

(Joan takes a photo out of her purse. It’s of the baby.)

Endeavour (smiling): “His name is Joseph Matthew Morse.”

Jim: “Adorable.” (He blinks.) “What happened to – they have me on so much medicine, I can’t-”

Endeavour (slowly): “I’m sorry to tell you. Marcia passed away.”

(Jim makes a noise. He starts to cry.)

(He weeps profusely. Endeavour puts a hand on his arm. Joan gently taps him as well.)

Endeavour: “We can have someone call her parents.”

Jim: “No, no...”

(He turns back and forth under the covers.)

Joan: “I’m so sorry.”

Jim (choking on the word): “Yes.”

Joan: “Can I hug you?”

(Jim nods. She hugs him.)

Endeavour: “I can ask the hospital to find you a counselor. A local one.”

(Jim nods again.)

Joan: “We can try to send somebody to arrange the services. But don’t worry about it for now.”

(Jim continues to cry. Joan gently pats him on the arm again.)

Endeavour: “They’ll give you a few weeks off, at least.”

(Jim turns his face away.)

(A minute later):

Jim: “Please, just get me some food.”

Joan: “Okay.” (She looks at the cart at the side of the room. She picks up a muffin.) “This okay?”

Jim: “Yes.” (He opens up the packet and begins to eat.)

(Fade out on this view.)

 

Act Five, Scene Five

(At the police station. Two weeks later.)

(Endeavour stops by to see everyone. He walks down to Bright’s office.)

Endeavour: “Morning, sir.”

Bright: “Morse! Good to see you. Tell me, how’s the family?”

Endeavour: “Doing well, sir. Very well.”

Bright: “What brings you to me?”

Endeavour: “I have some news.” (He passes Bright a picture of Joan and the child.)

Bright: “Congratulations!”

Endeavour: “Thank you.” (He smiles.)

Bright: “There is news ‘round here as well. We arrested Gales and Fried. Gales is charged with murder, Fried with conspiracy.”

Endeavour: “Yes, I saw them in the paper.”

Bright: “This brings on a special election. The Prime Minister’s going to make a speech about it tomorrow.”

Endeavour: “Well, I always vote.”

Bright: “Good. I do as well. Say, would you like to play on the charity cricket squad? Practice starts next week.”

Endeavour: “I think I’ll come and watch instead.”

Bright: “Tell me… I almost hesitate to say this, because it’s your decision, but are you ever going to make an honest woman out of that young lady?”

Endeavour (smiles): “Working on it.”

Bright: “That’s what I like to hear.”

(From the hallway, there is a loud noise. Several people say “Hello!” and applaud.)

Bright: “Well, what is the stir?”

(He and Endeavour step out in the hall. Joan is there, with the baby in a carrier. Many officers have gathered around her.)

Endeavour: “Hello.”

Joan: “I took the bus.”

(Endeavour nods.)

(Bright walks up to them. Endeavour trails after.)

Bright: “Welcome!” (He smiles.) “Is that the boy?”

Joan: “It is. Joseph Matthew.”

Bright: “Has he been christened?”

Joan: “No, he’ll be a heathen a couple more weeks.”

(Bright leans forward and taps Joseph a couple times on the nose. Bright smiles.)

(Joseph starts to cry.)

Bright: “I have to go back to my office. Bring him in when he’s eighteen, eh? I have a hunch he’ll make a fine officer.” (He walks away.)

(A couple officers pat Endeavour on the shoulder, and shake his hand.)

Joan: “We should get going.”

Endeavour: “Yes.” (He waves to the group. People walk back to their work areas.)

Joan: “Is Jim still out?”

Endeavour: “Yes, he won’t be back for a while.”

Joan: “It’ll be strange when I go back to work, and Marcia isn’t there. To talk to.”

Endeavour: “Yes.”

(They get in the car.)

Endeavour: “Do you remember the-” (He stops just before he can say ‘accident.’)

Joan: “No. Not most of it. I remember being in the ambulance.”

Endeavour: “Let’s get something to eat.”

(He drives away.)

(Cut to: Saturday of that week. At Joan’s flat. Thursday is staying over.)

(The baby cries. Thursday wakes up.)

Thursday: “I’ll get him.”

(Over to: Endeavour is in bed. He opens his eyes. He is wearing only his boxers. He sits up.)

(Joan is in the shower. The water runs, then is turned off. She walks out, wearing a bathrobe, and carrying a towel.)

Endeavour: “Hey.”

Joan: “Hi.” (She runs the towel over her hair. Then she steps over to the dresser, to pick out her clothes.)

(Endeavour reaches out and pulls her, backwards, down on to the bed.)

Joan (laughing): “Oh, stop!”

(Cut to: A short time later. Thursday is still playing with the baby.)

(Joan and Endeavour, now fully dressed, walk out into the main room of the flat.)

Joan: “Hey, Dad.”

Thursday: “Good morning.” (He lifts up the baby.) 

Joan: “You’re happy to be a grandpa.”

Thursday: “Yes, I am.”

Joan: “Listen, would you mind staying with the boy for a while? We have somewhere to go.”

Endeavour (smiling): “We do?”

Joan: “Yes.”

Endeavour: “Where is it?”

Joan: “You’ll see.”

Thursday: “I’m fine with him. We’ll have fun.” (He hugs the baby and makes faces. The baby makes burbling noises.)

Endeavour: “See you.” (He waves to Thursday. He and Joan walk out.) “Now, where are we headed?”

Joan: “Drive me. You’ll find out.”

Endeavour (raising an eyebrow): “Okay.”

(They get in the car. He starts it.)

Endeavour: “Where to?”

Joan: “861 Jaywood Street.”

Endeavour: “Yes.” (He puts on the radio.)

(After a moment:)

Joan: “Is that Mozart?”

Endeavour: “Really? I’m surprised you knew.”

Joan: “Sure, I like some now and then.”

Endeavour: “Good.” (He smiles.)

(They drive on. When they reach Jaywood Street, they get out.)

(It’s a church.)

Endeavour: “St. Ninian’s?”

Joan: “I like it. I used to go here, after I got out of school.”

(They walk inside, and go to the office. Joan addresses the secretary.)

Joan: “We’re here for the rehearsal.”

Lena: “Yes, I think I can get hold of the priest.” (She dials an extension.) “Hello, Reverend? Are you ready for the – okay, I’ll tell them.” (She hangs up.) “He’ll be out in just a minute.”

Endeavour (to Joan): “I said ‘Surprise me,’ and you did.” (He smiles.)

(Joan smiles.)

(Soon, the priest walks in, from a back room.)

Martin: “Hello! You must be-”

Joan: “Ms. Thursday.”

Endeavour: “DS Morse.”

(In turn, they shake hands with the priest.)

Martin: “Thank you for coming. And being on time. We’ll get the booklets.” (He reaches to a side table, and picks up two copies of ‘The Marriage Service, from the Book of Common Prayer.’) “Ah, we’ll need a deacon...” (He looks out into the sanctuary, and yells,) “Deacon!”

(Erwin nods and walks toward the office.)

Martin: “Okay.” (He walks, with Joan and Endeavour, to meet Erwin.) 

(The couple, the priest, and the deacon all stand near the altar. The priest begins to discuss what will happen in the wedding.)

(Camera pulls back to show a view from the back of the church. Thanks to the stained glass windows, the sun shines in a burst, just above the couple.)

 

THE END


End file.
